Legendary West Coast thrash metal pioneers Dark Angel are gearing up for a monumental return to the North American stage this fall, embarking on “The Extinction Level Event” tour. This marks their first domestic headlining trek in over three decades, coinciding with the release of their highly anticipated comeback album of the same name, Extinction Level Event, on Reversed Records. This upcoming LP is the band’s first new music since 1991.
Formed in 1981, aligning with the birth of metal giants like Metallica, Slayer, Anthrax, Mercyful Fate, and Sodom, Dark Angel quickly carved out a devoted following. They became recognized as architects of the burgeoning thrash metal sound, with pivotal albums such as We Have Arrived (1985), Darkness Descends (1986), Leave Scars (1989), and Time Does Not Heal (1991) helping to define a genre. Their reputation for ferocity, precision, and a signature blend of speed, technicality, and intensity cemented their status among headbangers worldwide.
Fans have already received a taste of the new album with the release of the blistering single “Circular Firing Squad” last month, following April’s debut of the title track, “Extinction Level Event,” which was notably co-written by the late co-founding guitarist Jim Durkin.
The current Dark Angel lineup features key members from their classic era, including iconic drummer Gene Hoglan, known as the “Atomic Clock” for his powerful contributions to bands like Death, Testament, Strapping Young Lad, Fear Factory, and Dethklok. Guitarist Eric Meyer also returns, joined by bassist Mike Gonzalez, vocalist Ron Rinehart, and the newest addition, guitarist Laura Christine, who began performing with the band in 2022.
Gene Hoglan expressed his enthusiasm for the upcoming album, stating: “Musically, lyrically, and vocally, I’m so stoked about this album… And everyone who’s heard the new album is losing their minds.” His comments hint at the intense impact the new material is expected to have.
“The Extinction Level Event” North American Tour promises a diverse range of support acts, with line-ups varying by date. Fans can expect to see Sacred Reich, Hirax, Vio-Lence, Midnight, Void, and Interceptor sharing the stage.
The album, Extinction Level Event, was produced and engineered by Rob Shallcross, with mixing duties handled by Mike Fraser, renowned for his work with AC/DC, Metallica, and Rush, at The Armoury Studios in Vancouver, BC.
The extensive tour schedule is as follows:
- Sept 5 – San Diego, CA – House of Blues#
- Sept 6 – Ventura, CA – Ventura Theater#
- Sept 7 – Mesa, AZ – The Nile Theater#
- Sept 11 – Houston, TX – White Oak Music Hall#
- Sept 12 – San Antonio, TX – Vibes Event Center#
- Sept 13 – Dallas, TX – Granada Theater#
- Sept 14 – Baton Rouge, LA – Chelsea’s Live#
- Sept 16 – Tampa, FL – The Orpheum#
- Sept 17 – Ft Lauderdale, FL – Revolution#
- Sept 19 – Richmond, VA – Canal Club#
- Sept 20 – Charlotte, NC – The Underground#
- Sept 23 – New York, NY – Gramercy Theatre#
- Sept 24 – Harrisburg, PA – Capital City Music Hall#
- Sept 25 – Baltimore, MD – Baltimore Soundstage#
- Sept 26 – Worcester, MA – The Palladium#
- Sept 27 – Montreal, QC – Club Soda#
- Sept 28 – Toronto, ON – Phoenix Concert Theatre
- Sept 30 – Norwalk, CT – District Music Hall%
- Oct 1 – Pittsburgh, PA – Spirit Hall%
- Oct 2 – Cleveland, OH – House of Blues%
- Oct 3 – Chicago, IL – Reggies%
- Oct 4 – Minneapolis, MN – Varsity Theater%
- Oct 6 – Denver, CO – Oriental Theater^
- Oct 7 – Salt Lake City, UT – The Depot^
- Oct 8 – Boise, ID – Shrine Social Club^
- Oct 10 – Vancouver, BC – Rickshaw Theatre^
- Oct 11 – Portland, OR – Roseland Theater^
- Oct 12 – Seattle, WA – El Corazon^
- Oct 15 – Berkeley, CA – UC Theatre&
- Oct 16 – Los Angeles, CA – The Belasco&
# with Sacred Reich, Hirax, Void
% with Sacred Reich, Hirax, Interceptor
^ with Sacred Reich, Vio-Lence, Midnight, Interceptor
& with Sacred Reich, Vio-Lence, Hirax, Midnight, Interceptor
