| UK Progressive Punk Band DARKO Release Title Track Off Upcoming ‘Canvas’ EP- Set For Release on July 18 via Thousand Islands Records/LockjawThe final chapter in their EP trilogy — following Sparkle and Greyscale |
| Photo by Tim Kramer |
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| South England’s DARKO blends the technical brilliance of Protest the Hero, the rallying pull of AFI, and the fire of Rage Against the Machine to deliver a sound that’s as sharp as it is sincere.The relentless quintet have taken their explosive performances to 40+ countries (including Japan, Australia, and Canada) – from sweaty bars to the main stages of Punk Rock Holiday and Manchester Punk Festival, sharing stages along the way with powerhouses like Strung Out, Ignite, Frank Turner, Propagandhi, and H2O.After frontman Dan Smith remained in Australia post-pandemic, the band turned to Tom West (of Lockjaw labelmates Almeida) to take the mic. West brought a harder-edged, metal-influenced direction – and a lyrical fearlessness that shook things up. Debut track ‘The Ladder,’ an uncompromising critique of misogyny within the punk scene, divided long-time fans and sparked urgent conversations while drawing in a new wave of listeners.Now, DARKO are closing a bold chapter with Canvas – the final piece in a trilogy of conceptually-linked EPs. It’s their most dynamic and anthemic work to date, fusing post-rock textures, death metal growls, and groove-laden riffage into their signature brand of lightning-fast melodic hardcore.The newly released title track highlights the growing financial risks faced by often underappreciated DIY promoters. DARKO’s riff-heavy “Canvas” serves as an anthem in their honor, acknowledging them as the backbone of the communities we cherish.This is progressive punk with purpose. This is DARKO.‘Canvas’ TracklistingGrey HavensDared To DreamCanvasOverride!HecticGoodbye BastardsAux III InfluencesProtest The Hero, Propagandhi, SikTh, A Wilhelm Scream, The Offspring, Dream Theater, Devin Townsend, The Dillinger Escape PlanFFOSoul Glo, Comeback Kid, Alexisonfire, Svalbard, August Burns Red, Touche Amore, Gallows, Better Lovers, Four Year Strong, The Bronx, Brutus, Sylosis, Rise Against, Avenged Sevenfold, NOFX, ThriceMembersTom West (Vocals)Rob Piper (Guitar / Vocals)Chris Brown (Guitar / Vocals)Karl Sursham (Bass / Vocals) DSP + 3 EP Box-Set, vinyl and CDhttps://bfan.link/DARKO-canvas |
What others have said:“Alright, let’s just get this out there for everyone: this band is composed of some SERIOUS rippers.” – Dying Scene“Darko match A Wilhelm Scream act perfectly for on-stage energy, shredability and a hard-working but fun attitude. Darko never give less than 110% live, and they always have the best time doing it.” – Shout Louder‘They’ve got the skills and imagination to make this a heart-racing listen… check out Darko right now’ – Big Cheese‘Techy skate-punk for fans of Belvedere and Strung Out’ – Rock Sound‘Seriously, if you have not heard Darko then you need to check them out below. Disclaimer, I made this list so that more people would listen to Darko.’– The Hard Times“It’s easy to see that Greyscale is a dynamic fusion of vibrant and intricate guitars, a heart-racing, versa-tile rhythm section, and bold lyrics delivered with urgency and conviction, acting as a crown jewel in Darko’s long history.” – HardBeat“Full of vim and vigour, it’s akin to a brutal street brawl, it’s violent and leaves the listener battered and bruised and wondering what just hit them. Greyscale takes all the band’s influences (everyone from Polar Bear Club to Propagandhi) and beats them into something wholly original.” – Devolution Magazine“DARKO pulled in an absolute full house in the Breadshed and wasted no time at all in absolutely pulverising the venue with their thrash-ridden hardcore. This is a seriously talented band who effortlessly fuse so many genres of music into a ball of energy that is completely their own. 10/10” Live review, Manchester Punk Festival – Bring The Noise |
| Upcoming Shows:Jul 18/19th – KNRD Fest, DE20th – PRAGUE CROSS CLUB22nd – Graz24th – Milan, CIQ25th – ITALY26th – DLB, IT27th – DRUNK IN PUBLIC morevalleAug 5/8th – Punk Rock Holiday, SLOct 27th – Supporting A Wilhelm Scream, Bridgend. TBCNov 15th – Daltons, Brighton, UK |
Social LinksWebsite http://darkoband.co.uk/Facebook https://www.facebook.com/DarkobandInstagram https://www.instagram.com/darko_band/YouTube https://www.youtube.com/user/DarkobandTwitter https://twitter.com/Darko_BandTikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@darkobandukBandcamp https://darko.bandcamp.com/SoundCloud https://soundcloud.com/darko_bandSongKick https://www.songkick.com/artists/443654-darkoSpotify https://play.spotify.com/artist/3A7XJB48UZEoAFhVHWa93vApple Music https://music.apple.com/gb/artist/darko/1021367581Tidal https://tidal.com/browse/artist/29514301Deezer https://www.deezer.com/en/artist/134057 |