KING is a relatively new band hailing from Melbourne, Australia. However, its members are seasoned musicians who know exactly what they are doing. The drummer, David Haley, is an active member in both the Black Metal band RUINS and the Technical Death Metal band PSYCROPTIC. The other two, vocalist Tony Forde and guitarist Dave Hill are active members in the Goregrind act THE DAY EVERYTHING BECAME NOTHING. They found home with the Norwegian label Indie Recordings and, assisted by Joe Haley, the drummer's brother and also a member of RUINS and PSYCROPTIC who was in charge of the recording, they have produced a solid album that beautifully melds Black Metal and Melodic Death Metal, getting the best out of both worlds.

Of course, the combination of these genres isn't new, but according to my experience it tends to be rather stale and tiring. But not this album, which is a well-calculated effort with stellar production and well performed, and features nine original, fresh-sounding compositions. The music is fairly heavy and maintains an epic air to it. The drumming in here is spot-on with laser-beam precision. Haley really puts his prowess to the acid test and comes out victorious. He is definitely the driving force behind this album. Forde relentlessly spits his venom, contributing to the menacing dark atmosphere that perfectly suits the wonderful cover art.

This is not a fast album. Most of the songs don't go beyond mid-tempo, save for sporadic outbursts of blast beats. The bodywork of the compositions are notably derived from the Melodic Metal side of the story, with a paintjob of Black Metal soundscapes and interesting passages of elaborate leads thrown in profusely. It is quite rare a debut album as solid and focused as this one. The opening track, "Cold Winds," does starts with a gust of cold wind followed by a gloomy lead, and the distorted chord kicks in and later turns into a compelling and effective main riff, which sets the mood for the rest of the album. The title track, "Reclaim the Darkness," is more of the same. The solos are not as original as they could be, but they are performed well nonetheless. On "All in Black" things become a bit busier and quicker right from the start with an enchanting tremolo riff, making it one of the blacker songs in this album. At this point I came to realize that the titles of the songs do keep their promise as to their contents and induce the exact atmosphere their names suggest. The fourth track follows the tradition set by its formers. The next on, "Night Sky Abyss," is my favorite; it is more straightforward and simpler in construction, but truly epic and anthemic, bringing the overall appeal of this album to fruition. I must admit that Black Metal and Melodic Death Metal are far from being my favorite genres, but their combination in this particular album seems to work perfectly. "Black North" is pure Black Metal. "The Journey Begins" is yet another epic piece; I can picture myself walking down a trail on my way to the unknown, with the North Star as my guide and exposed to the wrath of The Elements. The closer, "One King One World," is a bit different than the rest of the album; it's choppier and has some folkish tendencies, but nevertheless intriguing.

In conclusion, "Reclaim the Darkness" makes for an enjoyable listen. It is catchy, mostly melodic, but nevertheless heavy and diverse. It melds the two genres effortlessly and naturally and never sounds forced. Any fan of the genre will find joy in this excellent album by a promising band that both talks the talk and walks the walk.<