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Never Reborn are an Arizona-based act that released their debut EP over two years ago with little fanfare. Guess they decided to fix that, seeing how I got this as a promo well after the fact, and if I have anything to say about it, What Darkness Brings will be better known as the killer little debut it is.

The closest modern standard I can apply to the band is Black/Thrash, but I mean that in a primordial way akin to old Celtic Frost and Usurper where they're undoubtedly in the harsher end of the pool but work in a sound that predates most of the standards we use today. This kind of shit needs crushing riffs, bloodthirsty vocals, and an attitude based on being as angry and evil as possible, and if the ball-busting riffs of opener "Doomrider" don't convince you this band has all of that in spades, there's no help for you. The songs are largely midpaced, with the sole exception being the creeping, doomy title track, but they don't so much plod along as they do march across your poser spine with chugging guitar work and enough heaviness to smash it into dust.

I'd say more, but with a sound this vintage, you either know your shit or sound like shit with little room for elaboration, and Never Reborn definitely know their shit. Apparently, their bassist left the band at some point and was quickly replaced, so I have no idea if they're going to stick to this sound or if they'll make anything this good again. That said, What Darkness Brings is an underground diamond of concentrated evil that was unjustly slept on initially, so do yourself a favor and dig it the fuck up now.