Dark Days (Coal Chamber album)
 | This article needs additional citations for verification. (May 2010) |
| Dark Days | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | May 7, 2002 | |||
| Recorded | May 29 – September 21, 2001 | |||
| Studio | Rumbo Recorders (Canoga Park, California) | |||
| Genre | Nu metal[1][2] | |||
| Length | 41:15 | |||
| Label | Roadrunner | |||
| Producer | Ross Hogarth | |||
| Coal Chamber chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [2] |
| Collector's Guide to Heavy Metal | 7/10[3] |
| Metal.de | 7/10[4] |
| Rock Hard | 7/10[5] |
Dark Days is the third studio album by the American nu metal band Coal Chamber. It was released on May 7, 2002.
Background and content[edit]
Coal Chamber began recording Dark Days with producer Ross Hogarth at Rumbo Recorders on May 29, 2001.[6][7][8] The band finished recording bass and drum tracks by mid-June 2001, after which guitars and vocals were recorded.[9][10] The album was mostly completed on September 18, 2001, with Dez Farara going into the studio to re-record his vocals on September 21, 2001.[11] Bassist Rayna Foss-Rose left the band after this album was recorded; she was replaced by Nadja Peulen, who had already previously replaced her for Coal Chamber's tours in 1999 during Rayna's pregnancy.[12] This was the last studio album from Coal Chamber before they disbanded due to personal differences.[12]
Dark Days is often regarded[by whom?] as the band's most aggressive and heaviest album; while past Coal Chamber albums had softer songs scattered throughout them, Dark Days stays mostly aggressive all the way through. Dark Days mostly combines the styles from the band's debut album with their second album Chamber Music, mixing the nu metal elements with the gothic metal elements from Chamber Music. Dark Days received mixed reviews from music critics but was more popular with fans.
On their last show, guitarist Meegs Rascón accidentally hit vocalist Dez Fafara on the head with his guitar, with Dez walking off stage only to reappear claiming that this was to be Coal Chamber's last show. Dez then released Giving the Devil His Due which was a collection of unreleased tracks, remixes, and demos by Coal Chamber. Afterward, he went on to start the band DevilDriver.
"Fiend" would be the album's only single. Its music video found airplay on Uranium, which also featured an interview with the band and the song "Glow" was also most notably featured on the soundtrack of The Scorpion King.
The song "Something Told Me" was featured on the Resident Evil end credits as the second song.
Track listing[edit]
All songs written by Mike Cox/B. Dez Fafara/Rayna Foss/Miguel Rascón except where noted.
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Fiend" | 3:01 |
| 2. | "Glow" | 3:12 |
| 3. | "Watershed" | 2:37 |
| 4. | "Something Told Me" | 3:24 |
| 5. | "Dark Days" | 3:40 |
| 6. | "Alienate Me" | 3:18 |
| 7. | "One Step" | 2:39 |
| 8. | "Friend?" | 3:34 |
| 9. | "Rowboat" (Flood cover; written by Simon Daniels, Buddy Gheen, Dave Casey, Robert Marlette) | 4:49 |
| 10. | "Drove" | 3:13 |
| 11. | "Empty Jar" | 3:53 |
| 12. | "Beckoned" | 4:03 |
| Total length: | 41:15 | |
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 13. | "Anxiety" | 3:15 |
| 14. | "Save Yourself" | 3:27 |
| 15. | "One Step" (Scott Humphrey Mixdownload download) | 2:39 |
Credits[edit]
- Dez Fafara - lead vocals
- Miquel Rascon - guitars, backing vocals
- Rayna Foss-Rose - bass
- Mike Cox - drums
Production
- Ross Hogarth - production, engineering, mixing, mastering
- Jeremy Blair - assistant engineering
Charts[edit]
| Chart (2002) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australian Albums (ARIA Charts)[13] | 61 |
| French Albums (SNEP)[14] | 69 |
| German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)[14] | 61 |
| Scottish Albums (OCC)[15] | 34 |
| UK Albums (OCC)[16] | 43 |
| UK Rock & Metal Albums (OCC)[17] | 4 |
| US Billboard 200[18] | 34 |
References[edit]
- ^ Amber Authier (June 30, 2002). "Coal Chamber Dark Days". Exclaim.ca.
- ^ a b "Dark Days - Coal Chamber". AllMusic.
- ^ Popoff, Martin; Perri, David (2011). The Collector's Guide to Heavy Metal: Volume 4: The '00s. Burlington, Ontario, Canada: Collector's Guide Publishing. p. 85. ISBN 9781-926592-20-6.
- ^ Counterforce (May 21, 2002). "Coal Chamber - Dark Days Review". metal.de. Retrieved May 17, 2024.
- ^ "Dark Days". Rock Hard (Vol. 181). May 21, 2002. Retrieved May 17, 2024.
- ^ Blabbermouth (May 19, 2001). "Archive News May 19, 2001". BLABBERMOUTH.NET. Retrieved May 17, 2024.
- ^ Blabbermouth (May 31, 2001). "Archive News May 31, 2001". BLABBERMOUTH.NET. Retrieved May 21, 2024.
- ^ "Dark Days Have Begun". roadrunnerrecords.com. May 30, 2001. Archived from the original on August 21, 2001. Retrieved May 21, 2024.
- ^ Blabbermouth (June 16, 2001). "Archive News Jun 16, 2001". BLABBERMOUTH.NET. Retrieved May 17, 2024.
- ^ Blabbermouth (August 8, 2001). "Archive News Aug 08, 2001". BLABBERMOUTH.NET. Retrieved May 17, 2024.
- ^ "Coal Chamber News". coalchamber.com. Archived from the original on December 13, 2001. Retrieved May 17, 2024.
- ^ a b Michael Edele (May 6, 2002). "Less psychotic noise eruptions, more decent grooves". Laut.de. Retrieved July 24, 2019.
- ^ Ryan, Gavin (2011). Australia's Music Charts 1988–2010 (PDF ed.). Mt Martha, Victoria, Australia: Moonlight Publishing. p. 61.
- ^ a b "Lescharts.com – Coal Chamber – Dark Days". Hung Medien. Retrieved November 19, 2021.
- ^ "Official Scottish Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved November 19, 2021.
- ^ "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. May 12, 2022. Retrieved June 27, 2022.
- ^ "Official Rock & Metal Albums Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. May 12, 2002. Retrieved June 27, 2022.
- ^ "Dark Days - Coal Chamber". Billboard Database. Retrieved June 27, 2022.
