NEWS RELEASE
Montreal, QC – August 18, 2026
SF Bay Area Thrashers ABSOLUTE DARKNESS Unveils New Banger “Attritional Warfare”
Sophomore Album “Witness To A Dying World” Out Oct 2026
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L-R- Orson Sojo – Bass, Ron Dorn – Rhythm Guitar/Lead Vocals, Scott Russell – Drums, Douglas Vetter II – Lead Guitar/Backup Vocals
Photo Credit by Eddie Granillo
San Francisco Bay Area death/thrash metal force Absolute Darkness unleashes their first single, “Attritional Warfare”, marking the beginning of the rollout for their highly anticipated sophomore album, “Witness To A Dying World,” due out on October 23, 2026. The album also features a faithful, modernized tribute to Bay Area legends Vio‑lence with a cover of their classic track “World In A World.”
Formed in 2015, Absolute Darkness blends the ferocity of Death, Cannibal Corpse, and Amon Amarth with the thrash roots of Testament, Vio‑lence, and Exodus. Their sound is defined by aggressive riffs, layered harmonies, memorable solos, and socially conscious storytelling that confronts corruption, war, propaganda, addiction, homelessness, and the decay of modern society.
The first single sets the tone for the album’s thematic weight and musical intensity. Written collaboratively by the full lineup, “Attritional Warfare” showcases Absolute Darkness at their most focused and explosive, fast, sharp, and unrelenting.
The track continues the band’s tradition of story‑driven lyricism, exploring the human cost of conflict through the eyes of those caught in the machinery of war. It’s a brutal, high‑energy introduction to the world the album inhabits.
“The war theme of this song is brought home by high-quality 2D traditional animation interjected with a live performance from the band. Be warned, the war footage can be very graphic and was inspired by anime such as Attack on Titan and Jin-Roh: The Wolf Brigade,” adds Ron Dorn (Guitar/Lead Vocals).
Listen and watch the animated video for “Attritional Warfare” at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kbh5jvhBQtQ
Bandcamp – https://absolutedarkness1.bandcamp.com/track/attritional-warfare
The new record marks a major milestone for Absolute Darkness; it’s the first album written entirely by the current lineup from the ground up, with every member contributing meaningfully to the songwriting process. Musically, the album expands on the death/thrash foundation of their 2021 release “Failure Of State,” delivering aggressive riffs, fast, energetic structures, melodic guitar harmonies, layered solos, and story‑driven vocals. A standout moment on the album is Absolute Darkness’ tribute to Bay Area thrash icons Vio‑lence. Guitarist/vocalist Ron Dorn, who grew up attending their shows, approached the cover with deep respect, preserving the original’s raw energy while delivering vocals in his own death/thrash style. The band intentionally avoided a click track to maintain the natural tempo shifts of the original recording, resulting in a version that feels both nostalgic and freshly intense.
Lyrically, “Witness To A Dying World” explores unchecked power, propaganda, authoritarianism, war, addiction, homelessness, and societal collapse, told through characters and narratives rather than direct commentary.
“Witness To A Dying World is the album I’ve wanted Absolute Darkness to make for a long time. Not because it’s heavier or faster than our previous releases, but because it finally feels like a complete band effort. Everyone contributed to the songwriting in one way or another, and I think that made every song better. Some songs are straight-up thrash. Others lean more into melodic death metal. There are a lot of guitar harmonies, plenty of solos, and enough twists along the way to keep things interesting, but we always tried to make every change feel natural instead of complicated for the sake of being complicated.
At the end of the day, we’re doing this because we genuinely enjoy making music together. None of us are trying to become full-time musicians or make a living from the band. We all have careers, families, and lives outside of music, and that gives us the freedom to write the songs we want to write instead of chasing trends. If people come away remembering the songs, wanting to hear them again, and maybe even thinking about the stories they tell, then we’ve accomplished exactly what we set out to do,” adds Dorn.
Recommended for fans of Testament, Vio-lence, Exodus, At The Gates, The Crown, and Amon Amarth, “Witness To A Dying World” will be available on October 23rd, 2026. Album pre-sale will begin on October 1st.
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Track Listing:
1. Above The Law – 3:56
2. Attritional Warfare – 3:50
3. World Decay – 3:28
4. Snake Oil – 4:14
5. Different Illegally – 3:33
6. Loyalty To Me – 3:32
7. I Guess I Die – 3:59
8. Big Lies – 3:51
9. Extreme Accountability – 3:34
10. World In A World (Vio-lence Cover) – 4:13
Album Length: 38:21
Band Lineup:
Ron Dorn – Guitar/Lead Vocals
Douglas Vetter II – Lead Guitar/Backup Vocals
Orson Sojo – Bass
Scott Russell – Drums
More info:
https://www.facebook.com/BandAbsoluteDarkness
https://www.instagram.com/absolutedarkness_band/
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“Combining death/thrash influences… stronger production values that hopefully will garner more buzz and attention.” – Dead Rhetoric (Failure Of State 2022)
“Part album, part call to arms… a rabble-rousing affair and a slamming indictment of modern-day society.” – The Headbanging Moose (Failure Of State 2022)
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