Dark Angel & Schizophrenia - Club Academy, Manchester (9/6/25)

Belgian death-thrashers Schizophrenia open the show with a pounding double bass drum driven thrash attack which is really good. The generic death parts aren't quite as successful but these moments are pretty brief. When they are focused and fast, they are pretty ripping. 'Schizophrenia' is punchy thrash in the vein of 'Beneath The Remains' era Sepultura. The crowd reaction is muted, to say the least, which is a shame. They have only two speeds: fast and faster, but they manage to maintain interest throughout with their terrific use of melodic leads to balance the savagery. They play a rampaging cover of Slayer's 'Necrophiliac' which goes down well with the crowd. They even manage to squeeze in a further cover of Morbid Angel's 'Maze Of Torment' to close out the set. Good stuff.

The first time I heard the name Dark Angel was reading an advert in Kerrang! in 1991 publicising their new album 'Time Does Not Heal'. The advert read 'nine songs, 67 minutes and a skull scrambling 246 riffs'. I was relatively new to thrash but I had already discovered The Big Four as well as Suicidal Tendencies, Overkill, Testament and Annihilator. I was always looking for new music to inspire me (not much has changed in that regard). That description captured my imagination (as well as the rave review the album was receiving). 246 riffs sounded insane! Sadly, funds and not finding the album in any of my local record shops meant that it was a number of years later until I actually acquired the album. Still, that advert has always stuck with me.

Dark Angel are playing their 1986 debut 'Darkness Descends' in full in tribute to their guitarist Jim Durkin who passed away in 2023. They opt to play a general set to start off with followed by the album tracks. They open with a blistering 'Time Does Not Heal'. The crushing yet complex 'Never To Rise Again is equally intense. New track 'Extinction-Level Event' adds a touch of Pantera style groove to their fast technical thrash. Gene Hoglan looks cool as fuck behind his kit whilst his powerhouse drumming drives tracks like 'No One Answers' along at a phenomenal pace. 'Darkness Descends' takes the intensity to another level. It is devastating. An incredible 'The Burning Of Sodom' illustrates how they were really the only band who could rival Slayer in terms of speed in 1986. The cool bass intro to 'Merciless Death' provides some light relief before the thrashing starts again. It is fucking relentless. 'Death Is Certain (Life Is Not)' is stunning. I honestly did not expect them to be as tight as they are and the intensity they play with is unbelievable. A fitting tribute.

Dark Angel *****

Schizophrenia ****