Dark Angel Keep It True 2014

I much prefer the Don Doty stuff. Was never really a fan with Ron on vocals. Some great songs with him singing though.

I read in an interview with Gene that a reunion had been discussed but that Ron had a problem singing some of the lyrics as he's a Christian.

The thing is, back in the day Don did quit to raise a family, and apparently there are still some skeletons in the closet pertaining to this issue.

What really bugged me in the current situation is, those guys let Don to announce the reunion and book festival dates, and when all was booked and fans started to talk about it, stepped in and shot it down "for the best of the fans" wtf?

If they really cared for the fans, they would have put aside the animosity and done a one-time "Darkness Descends" show at KIT. Then they can shelve it once again and wait on Ron to sort his issues.

And as Boris stated, I too do not want to see DA with new image, and rewritten lyrics. It simply will not be Dark Angel any longer...

Boris2008 wrote:

I read in an interview with Gene that a reunion had been discussed but that Ron had a problem singing some of the lyrics as he's a Christian.

That's not true.

stormspell wrote:

The thing is, back in the day Don did quit to raise a family, and apparently there are still some skeletons in the closet pertaining to this issue.

What really bugged me in the current situation is, those guys let Don to announce the reunion and book festival dates, and when all was booked and fans started to talk about it, stepped in and shot it down "for the best of the fans" wtf?

If they really cared for the fans, they would have put aside the animosity and done a one-time "Darkness Descends" show at KIT. Then they can shelve it once again and wait on Ron to sort his issues.

And as Boris stated, I too do not want to see DA with new image, and rewritten lyrics. It simply will not be Dark Angel any longer...

Who said Ron was going to re-write lyrics or change anything?

The guys did not "let" Don do anything. He just did it. Gene knew nothing about it and found out after the fact.

I told you guys the day that this was posted here that it wasn't true. I immediately called a close personal friend of mine connected with the band and he told me none of it was true and it was all fabricated by Don. Don't get down on the rest of the guys for something a former member of the band did.

Temple of Blood wrote:

I prefer Ron as the vocalist in DA.

I would love it if Jim came back and played guitar for DA in some capacity.

BUT ....

Both those guys have had a long time to do this if they really wanted to do it.  The fact that they haven't tells us something important.  Jim never played a show with DA outside the state of California.  They went on to have two other guitarists after him and released great material after he was gone.  His stuff he recorded after DA was not good.  He's not essential and this has been proven.

Ron sounds like he has serious health problems that prevent him from singing.  I'd rather have a healthy Ron than a reunited DA with him singing.

If bringing Don back and another new guitarist helps DA become active again then that's exactly what they should do.

I don't want to overstep my bounds, but Ron's health is fine. He can sing and has been singing. Ron did have a bad accident well over a decade ago which he has fully recovered from. It was definitely a hard battle for him. However, If anyone remembers a few years ago the band reunited enough to do a couple shows and record a cover of "Creeping Death".

Boris2008 wrote:

I read in an interview with Gene that a reunion had been discussed but that Ron had a problem singing some of the lyrics as he's a Christian.

He did convert to Christianity in the early 1990s, but unlike some bands with born again Christians who won't perform some past material, Ron seemed content with performing the songs during their brief reformation about 10 years ago.

Boris2008 wrote:

I read in an interview with Gene that a reunion had been discussed but that Ron had a problem singing some of the lyrics as he's a Christian.

I remember him saying that too. I think it was an interview at metal-rules IIRC.

Frankly, I don't blame him. I personally don't see how a Christian could sing some of that stuff. Doty included! (who according to some is a Christian now himself).

I don't even care if Gene has to replace everyone else in order for DA to continue.  He wrote half the riffs, a lot of the vocal melodies, played quite a bit of guitar in the studio, was on all their good albums, and wrote all their lyrics anyway.

BTW, if you guys love the early DA sound you should check out WARGOD's demo.  Gene also wrote a lot of that stuff and it's very good too.

Temple of Blood wrote:

I prefer Ron as the vocalist in DA.

I would love it if Jim came back and played guitar for DA in some capacity.

BUT ....

Both those guys have had a long time to do this if they really wanted to do it.  The fact that they haven't tells us something important.  Jim never played a show with DA outside the state of California.  They went on to have two other guitarists after him and released great material after he was gone.  His stuff he recorded after DA was not good.  He's not essential and this has been proven.

Ron sounds like he has serious health problems that prevent him from singing.  I'd rather have a healthy Ron than a reunited DA with him singing.

If bringing Don back and another new guitarist helps DA become active again then that's exactly what they should do.

That's not true. Jim was in the band when they did the Ultimate Revenge 2 video in Philadelphia on the Leave Scars tour.

https://youtu.be/UaXOSFiBFPE

You're right. I think that was it though. They did at least two foreign tours without him.

I'm certain they played outside of CA with Jim many times. Does anyone know the old tour dates from 1986-1990?

http://www.blabbermouth.net/news/dark-angel-slams-estranged-ex-singer-for-starting-unfounded-rumors/

So apparently the Dark Angel reunion is Hoglan, Rinehart, Durkin, and Gonzalez. Exactly the lineup I'd like it to be! Maybe there'll be a Don Doty's Dark Angel as well

Great news! It's Leaves Scars part 2!
(minus oscar "Meyer" weiner)
He was one of the reasons the last reunion fell apart.

Great news! This is a very good lineup.

Quote :

We are very pleased to announce Eric Meyer is now confirmed for the 2014 Dark Angel lineup!

The Doty/Meyer version of DARK ANGEL is perfect for those metal fans that believe only singers are important and that "Darkness Descends" is the only good album that they ever put out.

Sounds like a reunion at all from either camp is very unlikely now.  

Temple of Blood wrote:

The Doty/Meyer version of DARK ANGEL is perfect for those metal fans that believe only singers are important

Why? were they an acapella band when Don was fronting them? I don't think that only singers are important, but they are not irrelevant either, and Ron's voice annoyed me.

Sorry to burst bubbles...
http://www.blabbermouth.net/news/keep-it-true-organizers-pull-plug-on-dark-angels-appearance-at-festival/

*Insert sad trombone sound here*

Blabbermouth wrote:

Right now it looks like there are two separate sections, with on the one hand Don Doty [vocals] and Eric Meyer [guitar], and on the other hand Gene Hoglan [drums] and Jim Durkin [guitar], who fight each other with almost daily statements about who is the real DARK ANGEL.

Sounds like Queensryche, L.A. Guns and Great White all over again. Haha

Looks like they got pulled for a festival appearance because there are two Dark Angels now:

http://www.blabbermouth.net/news/keep-it-true-organizers-pull-plug-on-dark-angels-appearance-at-festival/

Less than a month after it was announced that classic late '80s /early '90s California thrashers DARK ANGEL would reunite for a number of shows next year — including an appearance at the Keep It True XVII festival, set to take place April 25-26, 2014 at Tauberfrankenhalle in Lauda-Königshofen, Germany — the Keep It True organizers have canceled the band's participation at the event. Their official statement on the matter reads as follows: "There have been many turbulences around the DARK ANGEL reunion and their show at Keep It True lately. Right now it looks like there are two separate sections, with on the one hand Don Doty [vocals] and Eric Meyer [guitar], and on the other hand Gene Hoglan [drums] and Jim Durkin [guitar], who fight each other with almost daily statements about who is the real DARK ANGEL. We watched this quietly for some days and hoped that all will be sorted out, but it seems there is no satisfying solution for everyone. "Keep It True stands for many years for honesty and credibility and we fear that these actions around the DARK ANGEL reunion can put damage on the good name of the festival. So we decided that NO version of DARK ANGEL will play on Keep It True 2014. We do not want to be in the middle of a fight where there is no end in sight. "I hope you all understand our decision. We know some of you will be disappointed, but this is the only way for us. We will now look for a different Saturday headliner." DARK ANGEL's management issued a statement yesterday accusing the band's original lead singer, Don Doty, of displaying a "lack of responsibility" by posting "false information" and starting "unfounded rumors" that have been "creating confusion" among the group's fans. The management confirmed that DARK ANGEL will reform for a limited number of appearances in 2014 with a lineup that will feature Gene Hoglan (drums), Jim Durkin (guitar), Ron Rinehart (vocals) and Michael Gonzalez (bass). Doty made an online posting earlier this week in which he claimed that Hoglan would not take part in the DARK ANGEL reunion because Gene was "unable to make the practices" due to his "many commitments." DARK ANGEL guitarist Jim Durkin said in a statement last month that any talk of the band's reunion was "premature," and added that "when I was last in the band, Ron Rinehart was my singer. And IF the band were to come back and continue. he would STILL be my singer. He was our rock when we needed him and there is NO WAY I would do this without him. He and I talk daily and are as close now as ever. If anything, all this talk has brought us all back into more frequent contact! Which is a wonderful thing." DARK ANGEL released two albums with Don Doty on vocals — 1984's "We Have Arrived" and 1986's "Darkness Descends" — before he exited the group and was replaced by Ron Rinehart (after a brief stint with Jim Drabos in 1987). The band issued two more studio LPs — 1989's "Leave Scars" and 1991's "Time Does Not Heal" — before calling it quits in 1992. Rinehart, Hoglan and Meyer reassembled DARK ANGEL more than a decade ago but were forced to abandon their reunion plans after health issues reportedly put an end to Rinehart's singing career. Asked what he has been doing since leaving DARK ANGEL in 1987, Doty told Germany's Radio Gehacktes last month: "It's a long story, and at the same time, it's a short one. I basically started a family and showed up to my last show [with DARK ANGEL] and told the guys, 'Hey, look, [I have a] baby [on the way] and I can't be on the road and do the family thing; it was just too hard for me. There were too many beautiful women in the world and there were too many other opportunities to go off the deep end, and I just could not do that. So with that being said, I took a step back and I told the guys, 'There will be a day and I will come back and we will finish what we started." Doty added that his reasons for wanting to put DARK ANGEL back together are pure. "I'm here for the fans, because they've been there for me and it's their turn," he said. "Let's get back and let's have some fun."
Read more at http://www.blabbermouth.net/news/keep-it-true-organizers-pull-plug-on-dark-angels-appearance-at-festival/#2qre6VbhS2V8st2v.99

You don't say?

Fat Freddy wrote:

Blabbermouth wrote:

Right now it looks like there are two separate sections, with on the one hand Don Doty [vocals] and Eric Meyer [guitar], and on the other hand Gene Hoglan [drums] and Jim Durkin [guitar], who fight each other with almost daily statements about who is the real DARK ANGEL.

Sounds like Queensryche, L.A. Guns and Great White all over again. Haha

That's what I get for waiting to hit "post" - damn work phone calls!!!!!

MetalGuy71 wrote:

You don't say?

And I get beat again on hitting "post now"

Stop letting work get in the way. There are more important music-oriented things to discuss! 

I say we put all these "dual" groups together to form one sooper-dooper mega deluxe band. Call it "Queen of the Great Dark White Angel from L.A." or something.