Dark

  • Dark
  • Chemical Warfare (UK Fresh) 1982 
  • The Living End (UK Fall Out) 1983 

Two things conspired to keep England’s Dark from finding the success they deserved. First, they didn’t fit in with the trendy Britpunk image of the early ’80s — they just were not fashionable enough in a land of mohawks. Second, Fresh Records was going out of business at the time of their debut’s release, and it got little promotion from the label. Still, Chemical Warfare showcases a fine punk band — rough, aggressive, intelligent. The Living End consists of eight songs from the band’s final concert. The audio quality is uneven, but it’s easy to discern that the Dark was an entertaining live band.

[Charles P. Lamey]