Darkling

83 Fans

Show all 83 fans

Industry Bling

Band Bio

Formed in 1998, Darkling was the precursor of the now wildly popular band GothZilla, lead by members Tim and The Animal.

Darkling was originally formed as a progressive black metal band, and quickly expanded beyond its roots in Lincoln, NE to become one of the top black metal groups in eastern Scandinavia. Signed by Insecta Records, the band's first single, "Raze Them to the Ground", was a huge success and paved the way for the groups first album, "Traumatic Insemination." This cult-classic, released in limited numbers in LP format, remains their best-selling album.

But problems plagued Darkling just as any other band, eventually leading to their breakup. In late 2001, front man Tim entered rehab for a widely publicised addiction to Lay's Potato Chips, an addiction that continues to haunt him today. During the band's hiatus, the group split into side projects: The Animal explored limited success as a country-western performer, while Johnny Royal pursued an acting career (appearing as "Coffee House Guy #6" in an episode of Friends).

After Tim's return to the group, things were back to normal. Touring with the Diet Generic Soft Drinks '02 Festival all over central Mongolia, the group continued to write music for their sophomore album, a self-titled release in late 2003. This album, also known to fans as "their other album", saw mixed reviews.

Tragedy hit Darkling a few years later, when drummer Johnny Royal announced his departure from the band. This news hit Tim the hardest, who sunk into a downward spiral of Cheetos and Funyuns, with the paparazzi there to film the whole event. Fans were shocked when news broke of his recurring addiction, and the group's reputation fell on hard times.

But The Animal pulled the group through those dark times, recruiting Sparky, Jill, and Skinman into the fold to replace Johnny. Tim emerged a second time from rehab, and the band went on to produce their third and final album, the 2005 release "Anal Trophallaxis", a hit that caused Rolling Stone editor Jann Wenner to say "I looked it up on Google, and it’s a real thing."

Although the band continued performing and releasing underground compilations, cover albums, and live recordings, the end came in December of 2007. Citing artistic differences, the band ceased to be. Tim and The Animal went on to form GothZilla, a band which has received more public acclaim in a few short months than Darkling did in their nine year career. With the success of GothZilla, Hex-Apoda Industries (formerly Insecta Records) began issuing re-releases of their earlier albums.

Now, with the band’s former manager Tim Mamba owning the rights to all of the band’s assets, Darkling has been reformed to be bigger and better than ever. The band’s long-awaited reintroduction album “Traumatic Myiasis: The Scandinavian Democracy” had been in the works since the original band began the project back in 2002. Now considered the most expensive album ever to be produced, Darkling fans finally have the album that they never thought they would see.

New project members include lead singer Blapstinus Metallicus, Uloma Mentalis on drums, L. Laeve playing bass, and Lymphia on lead guitar and backing vocals. The world was reintroduced to the reincarnation of Darkling at a surprise concert at Spøttrup Castle in Salling, Denmark in early March. 10,000 screaming Darkling fans crowded the museum grounds to get their first looks at the band, and when Blapstinus walked out on the stage the fans instantaneously roared into a frenzy of metal-fueled mêlée. Before the night was over more than thirty limbs were amputated and thousands of lesser flesh wounds were reported. Needless to say, the event was a huge success.

Darkling now invites fans to join them in their quest to bring Scandinavian black metal to the world. No more must we live under the socialist rules of lesser music; we can exist as a democracy… of metal!

Band Gear

This band doesn't own any gear!

Albums / EPs

Traumatic Myiasis: The Scandinavian Democracy Date Released: 3/26/2009   Tracks: 20 Sales: 27   Listens: 30 Hex-Apoda Industries, copyright 2009. The long anticipated re-imagination of Darkling with new band members and a new sound. In production since 2002, The Scandinavian Democracy is the most expensive record ever produced. The Special Edition of this album includes exclusive bonus video tracks of the new Darkling playing live at Spøttrup Castle in Salling, Denmark!