Departed – Darkness Reigns CD

Departed present a veritable aural cagematch. Both sonically and thematically, subtlety isn’t exactly their strong suit–but that’s kind of the point. Described by Decibel as a “wrecking crew” willing to “bulldoze everything in their path,” nothing here is delicate or gentle. The East Coast hardcore swagger is puncuated by blackened extremity and the sheer heft of Disgorge-ian death. It’s an intrinsically aggressive sound, well-suited to the pit–an arena Departed are quite familiar with. No strangers to the scene, Departed have graced the stage at a bevy of shows, including This Is Hardcore 2017 and 2018, Tsunami Fest, EKB Fest, Winter Jam 2020, and Upstate Records’ own Family and Friends Fest 2020.