At this yr’s Hellfest in Clisson, France, legendary excessive steel drummer Gene Hoglan, who has performed with TESTAMENT, DETHKLOK, DARK ANGEL, DEATH, FEAR FACTORY and STRAPPING YOUNG LAD, amongst others, spoke about being some of the in-demand musicians within the steel scene. He stated (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): “Effectively, I put the ‘ho’ in Hoglan. I am a drum ho, man, undoubtedly. I like doing what I do. I am an absolute poster youngster for residing one’s dream. I set out on this path after I was 11. That is after I stated, ‘I am gonna be a rock and roll drummer. I am gonna play for bands and see the world and all that.’ And by the point I used to be 13 and tremendous into steel by that point — I used to be 12 in 1980 when the massive crush of steel got here out; that was the nonetheless the very best yr of steel ever, and that was all contemporary stuff being thrown proper at me. In order that that cemented my love for steel. And that is why I am, like, ‘I am gonna be a steel drummer. I am gonna play quick, heavy. I am gonna be within the heaviest bands I can discover.’ And I did not even, like. relegate myself to at least one band. Even again then, I used to be, like, ‘I do know I am gonna play with a ton of musicians, and it is gonna be nice.’ And so, right here it’s, 45 years later. It was a want. It was a dream.”
He continued: “I’ve lately come into contact with the time period of manifestation and I am, like, every part that I hear this manifestation stuff is that is what I did. I made this occur. I created this out of my very own mind and I noticed the trail that I wanted to be on, and I attempted to make all the great choices that I might. I used to be part of the preliminary L.A. scene of all of the DANTE FOXes and GREAT WHITEs and RATTs and MÖTLEY CRÜEs and DUBROW. It was after QUIET RIOT. QUIET RIOT was somewhat earlier than my time — the preliminary Randy Rhoads QUIET RIOT. However SNOW and all of these bands, A LA CARTE, one of many biggest bands ever, I used to be going to see all these bands after I was 13 and turning into friends with these guys. And my sister was 5 years older than me and he or she used to tug me to all these exhibits. And it simply was superior getting to satisfy all these guys that ultimately grew to become large large stars. However the factor that taught me was, like, quite a lot of these bands I’d see on the time, they bought large with not the very same members that they’d, as a result of we might go to the events afterwards and the vast majority of the band can be fairly properly put collectively, however there was that one man within the band that will simply get shitty drunk on a Wednesday evening. And I used to be only a sponge. I did not drink or do medication or something, so I used to be only a sponge to all of it. I am, like, ‘I do not suppose that man’s gonna final on this band.’ Certain sufficient, he will get the boot. They get a man that is bought it extra collectively from one of many different bands. They signal the massive contract. They go on to large issues, and that man is simply left behind. I watched that occur so many instances. So it was simply being a sponge, being a witness to all of this exercise the place I used to be capable of form of discern, ‘That is the best way to go. That is not the best way to go. Do not act like a douche.'”
Reflecting on one piece of recommendation he bought early on which he took to coronary heart, Hoglan stated: “There was a drummer for a band that went on to turn out to be a gargantuan band, and after I was, like, 15 or so, I obtained the keys to my people’ automobile and I went and drove and picked him up and he was driving us round. We have been doing one thing collectively. And the largest lesson I ever bought — ever — was from this man as he was speaking to me about his philosophy on making it within the music trade. And he stated — and that is no joke — he stated, ‘I do not care who I’ve to screw over, step on, F over, stroll on to higher myself and get myself larger within the music trade. I do not care who I’ve to screw over, I’ll do it.’ And I took from that, ‘Go do the alternative.’ And so he bought the boot from that band. He is on their first couple of recordings, and so they have been killer.They have been well-known — particularly in L.A., particularly on [local radio station] KMET. They have been getting the massive push in ’83, ’84, proper at that first burst of the ’83 form of stuff and ’84, undoubtedly. And that was the largest lesson I ever bought. It is, like, ‘No matter he simply stated, do the alternative. And that is gonna work properly for you.’ And so I’ve at all times tried to assist different individuals. If I’ve bought buddies in a band, [it’s], like, ‘Hey, man, your band’s fairly cool. Let me introduce you to my report label.’ Or ‘I do know a man over right here which may have the ability that can assist you guys out.’ Or ‘I do know a drummer that you simply guys might most likely…’ All that form of stuff. Attempt to assist individuals. Do not screw individuals over. However that was an enormous lesson.”
Final month, DARK ANGEL launched “Round Firing Squad”, the second single from the band’s first new album in 34 years, “Extinction Degree Occasion”, due later in 2025 by way of Reversed Data.
The LP’s first single, the “Extinction Degree Occasion” title observe, was written by DARK ANGEL guitarist Jim Durkin a decade in the past, lengthy earlier than he suffered from extreme liver illness, and, to the shock of everybody, handed away in 2023. It was recorded and blended on the Armoury Studios in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, government produced by DARK ANGEL drummer Gene Hoglan, produced and engineered by Rob Shallcross and blended by Mike Fraser.
Durkin died on March 8, 2023 on the age of 58. An unique member of DARK ANGEL, Durkin performed on the band’s first three albums — 1985’s “We Have Arrived”, “Darkness Descends” and 1989’s “Depart Scars” — earlier than departing the group in 1989. He was a part of DARK ANGEL‘s lineup when the band reformed in 2013, and had been enjoying with them, on and off, ever since.
Previous to his dying, Durkin had been sitting out a few of DARK ANGEL‘s gigs. He was changed on the exhibits by Hoglan‘s spouse Laura Christine, who has since joined DARK ANGEL as a everlasting member.
The “Extinction Degree Occasion” paintings and structure was designed by Cain Gillis, with ideas by Hoglan.
“Musically, lyrically, and vocally, I am so stoked about this album,” Hoglan beforehand stated. “I am actually enthusiastic about DARK ANGEL proper now, and everybody who’s heard the brand new album is dropping their minds. Each time I would end a track and ship it over to the fellows, all people was, ‘Gene, that is my favourite track!’ ‘No, that is my favourite track!!’ ‘Dude, that is completely my favourite track!!!’ That is by no means a nasty signal.”
Hoglan and Christine wrote every part apart from the title observe on “Extinction Degree Occasion”. Different songs set to seem on the trouble embrace “Atavistic”, which is described as “a full-on three-minute thrash steel barrage”, “Woke Up To Blood”, the title of which stemmed from a canine assault, and “Terror Assemble”, which Gene wrote about the best way the media and firms workforce as much as unfold concern among the many plenty to allow them to proceed to fill their pockets.
The seeds of “Extinction Degree Occasion” have been planted in late 2013 between the time when TESTAMENT stopped touring to work on their new report and Hoglan was scheduled to work on his subsequent main venture. After the primary batch of writing periods for “Extinction Degree Occasion”, Hoglan needed to put writing for DARK ANGEL on maintain till late 2022. With different obligations behind him, Gene laser-focused on DARK ANGEL, listening again to the jams he and Durkin made earlier, and writing greater than 10 new songs over the subsequent three months. With a full album of pummeling new songs, Hoglan flew to Vancouver to trace the album on the Armory. There, he and his bandmates labored with Rob Shallcross and Mike Fraser, and over a couple of periods, DARK ANGEL had recorded every part however the vocals.
Having handed away two years in the past, Durkin‘s sudden dying continues to be traumatic for DARK ANGEL and particularly Hoglan. On the similar time, he takes bittersweet delight in figuring out that Jim‘s enjoying and performances reside on by way of him and DARK ANGEL, not solely when the band performs his outdated riffs, but additionally within the continued affect Durkin has on the band’s new songs.
“One of many final issues I instructed him was, ‘Jim, dude, you are my unique guitar hero,” Hoglan remembers. “‘My whole guitar model relies in your model since you are who I actually discovered the best way to play guitar from.’ So, my guitar method with DARK ANGEL is Jim Durkin‘s method. After I write for the band, I am pondering, ‘What would Jim do right here?’ That is why his presence is massively throughout this new report. Each single track. I wished to make it to the place individuals are like, ‘Yeah, Jim wrote that riff. Oh, there’s one other Jim riff’ as a result of Jim wrote all the very best riffs within the band, eternally.”
DARK ANGEL was initially scheduled to play new music for the primary time since 1991 throughout its January 29 live performance on the Whisky A Go Go in West Hollywood, California. Nonetheless, that present ended up getting postponed as a result of wildfires within the state.
DARK ANGEL launched two albums with Don Doty on vocals — the aforementioned “We Have Arrived” and “Darkness Descends” — earlier than he exited the group and was changed by Ron Rinehart (after a quick stint with Jim Drabos in 1987). The band issued two extra studio LPs — “Depart Scars” and “Time Does Not Heal” — earlier than calling it quits in 1992.