DARKEST HOUR announce 30th anniversary EU/UK tour
16-11-2025
US melodic death metal veterans Darkest Hour are about to kick off their 30th anniversary EU and UK tour, celebrating three decades of uncompromising, heavy-hitting music. With dates across Europe and the UK, the tour will see Darkest Hour joined by longtime allies and genre defining acts: Bleeding Through, Shai Hulud and Denial of Life.
Dates:
26.09.25 Germany Köln Gebäude 9
27.09.25 Netherlands Dordrecht Bibelot
29.09.25 UK London Underworld
30.09.25 UK Bristol The Fleece
01.10.25 UK Leeds Stylus
02.10.25 Belgium Antwerp Kavka Zappa
03.10.25 Germany Bremen Tower
05.10.25 Germany Wiesbaden Schlachthof
06.10.25 Germany Leipzig Naumanns
07.10.25 Germany Berlin SO36
08.10.25 Czech Rep Prague Futurum
09.10.25 Hungary Budapest Dürer Kert
10.10.25 Germany Nürnberg Hirsch
11.10.25 Switzerland Aarau Kiff
12.10.25 Germany München Backstage
Darkest Hour’s Mike Schleibaum says, “It feels unreal to the type the words, 30th Anniversary tour, but here we go! See you this fall EU & UK as we celebrate 30 years of DARKEST HOUR! When we started in 1995 we had no idea where this wild ride would take us, how much this band would enrich our lives, how thankful we would be for it all, and how hungry we would still be to keep the party going. We’ll be playing the most robust headline set we’ve ever played. We’ll be pull’n out all the hits, old jams, deep cuts, new cuts, new bangers, and everything in between.
“Joining us will be long time friends, Bleeding Through who haven’t toured the EU / UK in over a decade. They’re releasing new music, and are as heavy, tight, and ready to destroy as ever. Shai Hulud who have been friends of ours, almost since our inception, and who have stood the test of time as one of the most underground, yet revered heroes of our scene. Denial of Life are putting it all on the line as the opener and will set the night off with their unique style of hardcore / thrash / metal that fits right in on this line up. Every one of these shows will be so special to us, get your tickets, tell your friends, and come celebrate with us this fall!”
DARKEST HOUR released their tenth album “Perpetual | Terminal”, on February 23, 2024 via MNRK Heavy. The official music video for the LP’s title track is available below.
“This is a whole DARKEST HOUR album in one song,” the band says. “It felt like the perfect album opener, eventually became the title track, and therefore is the perfect place to start as we present this new album to the world. Lyrically, it touches on all of the themes of the record — an album centered around the duality of survival and rebirth. Or, you could just say, some new music from old friends who just won’t ever give up.”
“Perpetual | Terminal” track listing:
- Perpetual | Terminal
02. Societal Bile
03. A Prayer To The Holy Death
04. The Nihilist Undone
05. One With The Void
06. Amor Fati
07. Love Is Fear
08. New Utopian Dream
09. Mausoleum
10. My Only Regret
11. Goddess Of War, Give Me Something To Die For
DARKEST HOUR, as a whole, have weathered time, trends, and tides of change and stand stronger nearly three decades since their formation. Their unique sonic style incorporates death metal exorcisms, thrash recklessness, hardcore punk attitude, and melodic catharsis at the speed of a circle pit.
“The record’s theme centers around the duality of survival while embracing rebirth,” says guitarist Mike Schleibaum. “We keep killing parts of ourselves to make new parts and survive. The story of the record is the story of the band. We’re still here, and we’re giving the world a body of work that’s representative of our music today. We’ve realized relationships, tours, good times, everything that seems to give life meaning, is terminal — and will inevitably end. Nevertheless, we’re 46-year-old dudes who love this music enough to put up with the trials and tribulations of being artists in a touring band.”
DARKEST HOUR clawed their way out of the DMV area in 1995. Throughout the ensuing years, they tallied tens of millions of streams and quietly built a diehard fan base. Canvasing the globe, they packed thousands of shows and touched down on every continent, save Antarctica. Along the way, they notably notched five Top 3 debuts on the Billboard Heatseekers albums chart. 2017’s “Godless Prophets & The Migrant Flora” marked the group’s third No. 1 bow on the latter in addition to crashing the Top 10 of the Top Vinyl Albums chart. It also represented a creative and critical high watermark. Beyond praise from Revolver, Exclaim! and more, MetalSucks rated it a rare perfect score of “5 out of 5” and hailed it as “the best album DARKEST HOUR have ever made.” New Noise cited it as “one of the best of 2017,” and Metal Hammer dubbed it “a monumental return.” PopMatters crowned it “a masterclass in following your beliefs no matter where they might take you.”
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