‘Life Forms’ is a delicate start to a punk rock album but the ferocious dual guitar and punching drums quickly bring about the musical substance fit for a narrative that is surmised by ‘I don’t wanna be a part of it, I don’t fucking care’, an ode to the political chaos that billows around us in 2017. Darko historically have produced concept albums but their latest offering ‘Bonsai Mammoth’ was generated to provide a musical narrative, spring board and inspiration for action in what is becoming a worrying time globally for politics, freedom and humanity as a whole.
The pace of the album is relentless and the level of high-octane punk rock is high throughout. The opening lick of ‘I Knew I Should Have Taken That Left Turn At…’ is riotous, the lead riffs reminiscent of early Thrice, the dual work really allowing Darko to define their sound and identity. ‘Just A Short Line’ is reminiscent of Matt Davies’ soaring vocals for Funeral For A Friend and the break down in ‘Set In Our Ways’ highlights the development of this band from previous material, shining a spotlight on their riff work, which enhances the layers of this band in great detail.
There is a short interlude half way through the album in the shape of ‘The Chernobyl Effect’ that allows listeners to calm the nerves before ‘Hiraeth’ continues the second half of the album at a blistering pace, the monstrous licks giving way to the rasp of Dan Smith, the vocal snarl adding to the album’s integrity.
Darko have created a really strong album with ‘Bonsai Mammoth’. The miniature interlude and guitar trickery in ‘In The Company Of Wolves’ shows their ability to mix intricacy with punk rock panache and it works really well. The pace of ‘Life Blood’ sits it high amongst the others as a strong contender for the album’s finest moment, as does ‘Dead Hordes’ and the introduction of a short section of gang vocals perhaps would have been more welcome throughout more of this album, before ‘We Can Stand For Something More’ makes sure that listeners know we all have choices and differences but how we should all come together for the betterment of society.
‘Bonsai Mammoth’ will do Darko well. It will win over new fans, it will please old ones and hell, the world needs some campaign tunes to spark a movement towards humanitarianism in the purest sense of the word, and Darko have created just that. The last song on the album bleeds out to ‘We Can Stand For Something More’, half hope, half statement; it lodges a thought that perhaps music can indeed be the glue that binds us all together again.
DAVE BULL