A bastard child born of the mid 90s punk/metal/hardcore movement, Washington, DC’s DARKEST HOUR combine the passion, energy, and soul of punk/hardcore with the style, speed, vengeance and fury of melodic speed/thrash/death metal.

DARKEST HOUR have helped defined the entire New Wave of American Metal sound as one of the pioneers of modern metal/core. A sound that gave the metal and hardcore/punk world the revitalization it surely needed. This style blended the raw, hardcore punk of the 80s, with the Scandinavian death metal of the 90s and forged a sound that would later become the template for modern metal.

Since their inception 23 years ago, Darkest Hour has released 9 studio full lengths (via 11 different record labels), appeared in major motion pictures, US television shows, video games, and have toured the world extensively covering 6 of the 7 continents.

Darkest Hour is: Mike Schleibaum – Guitar John Henry – Vocals Nico Santora – Guitar Aaron Deal – Bass Travis Orbin – Drums

Balancing traditionally timeless grit with 21st century gusto, Judiciary hammer out hardcore grooves at breakneck thrash speeds. The Texas quintet—Jake Collinson [vocals], Juan Vazquez [bass], Austin Looney [drums], Jimmy LaDue [guitar], and Israel Garza [guitar]—wield a searing signature style unlike anything in heavy music. With calculated intensity, it bludgeons without compromise, draws back for a breath, and strikes again even harder.

Grinding full force since 2015, the band unleashed the EP The Axis of Equality in 2016, a split EP with Mortality Rate in 2017, and finally, their first full-length record Surface Noise with Closed Casket Activities in 2019. Of the latter, Revolver exclaimed, “More so than many other bands in their orbit, the quintet excels at writing riffs that hang on through any one track without faltering,” while Stereogum raved, “It fucking rips.” Beyond highlights such as “Stronger Than Thou” [feat. Bryan Garris of Knocked Loose] and “Temple” [feat. Brody King of God’s Hate], their standout single “Social Crusade” signaled success for what the band had set out to accomplish with their first LP.

Citing influences such as Slayer’s God Hates Us All and Chimaira’s The Impossibility of Reason as well as “a ton of Machine Head,” Judiciary perfected their blend of metal and hardcore on the 2023 second full-length record, Flesh + Blood [Closed Casket Activities]. Flesh + Blood was recorded and produced by Arthur Rizk [Power Trip, Cavalera Conspiracy] in August of 2021 before GRAMMY® Award-winner Will Putney [Body Count, Vein] handled mixing and mastering, and has since received the praise of Stereogum, Revolver, BrooklynVegan, Invisible Oranges, and more.