LANDMVRKS - 'The Darkest Place I've Ever Been'

BACKGROUND. When we last heard from LANDMVRKS a few years ago, the planet was still recorvering from the pandemic, oblivious to all the chaos that would keep unfolding. At the time, the wider modern metal world was enjoying a brief upheaval across all genres, both creatively and commercially, regional scenes also hit by sudden bursts of fresh energy and original ideas. France in particular has since seen plenty of new bands emerge that wouldn't normally get as much attention, and at the very core the regional catalyst, at least at the core front, was definitely LANMDVRKS. Now widely renowned for their unmistakable fusion of hardcore passion, metalcore fury and nu metal swagger, the Marseille quintet return to ignite 2025 with a another faultless ralying opus in their latest The Darkest Place I've Ever Been.

BAND. Somehow, LANDMVRKS remain unique in a scene notorious for its tendency to be derivative and lazy, againstba world thats is currently plagued by creative decline and endangered authenticity. You don't get many fresh ideas across the hardcore crowd, traditional metalcore is all but exhausted, nu metal is a ghost of the past, and while certain modern alternative metal branches still produce occasional masterpieces, the scene is so overpopulated, even the great ones get lost in all the noise. And yet, amidst the chaos, the crisis and the pollution, LANDMVRKS remain a bastion of excellence and consistency and appear determined to hold on to that reputation with style.

ALBUM. Totally worth the wait, The Darkest Place I've Ever Been is a massive step forward for LANDMVRKS. Designed, crafted and polished to near perfection, the LP is one of those moments in a band's career that eventually get recognised as genre- and time-defining classics as time passes. Monumental and diverse, it is simultaneously a perfect continuation of Lost In The Waves (2021) and its Deluxe Edition (2022), and a whole new entity at a completely different level. Pushed even further by Flo Salfati reaching new highs as a singer, composer, lyricist and main creative force, the album is bold and vulnerable, furious and gentle, relentless and composed, every aspect of its marvelously multifaceted nature infused with that unique LANDMVRKS flavour.

SONGS. The record gets its fittingly frenzied and memorable introduction with the title track and that iconic spontaneous combustion at the 1 minute mark. From there, it is a hurricane of moods and ideas, swinging from the high-octane energy of 'Creature' to the elevatingly direct collab with While She Sleeps on 'A Line in The Dust', from the oldschool hardcore swagger of 'Sulfur' to the infectious Linkin Park-esque anthem 'The Great Unknown'. The constant streak of individual moments of brilliance keeps flowing throughout, dipping into frisk hip-hop waters on 'Sombre 16', getting breathtakingly epic on 'La Valse Du Temps', opening moshpits with 'Deep Inferno', unleashing pure deathcore chaos with 'Requiem' and wrapping it all up with the hauntingly intimate 'Funeral'.

FUTURE. The album is a solid AOTY contender, and as far as modern metalcore is concerned, few produce it with such vision and consistency. As the fourth official release of increasing importance and immense stature, The Darkest Place I've Ever Been appears destined to change the game for LANDMVRKS. The band has been enjoying the status of beloved scene heroes across Europe, but this album elevates them to international heavyhitter level without hesitation. Up until now, it is safe to say that Gojira was France's biggest export and while their crown as all-round metal leaders is yet to be challenged, LANMDVRKS are the unmatched second, proudly waving the flag of their county in front of the entire heavy music world.