NEWS RELEASE
Montreal, QC – October 22, 2026
Streaming Now! Bay Area Death Thrashers ABSOLUTE DARKNESS’ “Witness To A Dying World”
Sophomore Album Out Oct 23rd, 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: Eddie Granillo
Bay Area death/thrash metal outfit Absolute Darkness is set to release its sophomore full-length album, “Witness To A Dying World”, on October 23, 2026. Blending the aggression of classic Bay Area thrash with the precision and weight of modern death metal, the album marks a defining moment in the band’s evolution and serves as the first Absolute Darkness release written collaboratively by the band’s entire current lineup.
Ahead of the official release, fans will be able to hear the album in its entirety when MetalInsider premieres an exclusive full album stream, giving listeners an early opportunity to experience the band’s most ambitious work to date.
Listen to the album in full via MetalInsider HERE.
Continuing the progression established on 2021’s “Failure Of State,” “Witness To A Dying World” delivers a relentless mix of crushing riffs, layered guitar harmonies, memorable solos, and socially conscious storytelling. Across ten tracks, Absolute Darkness confronts themes of corruption, propaganda, authoritarianism, war, addiction, homelessness, and societal decline, all presented through character-driven narratives rather than direct commentary.
One of the album’s standout moments comes in the form of a faithful yet distinctly personal cover of Vio-lence’s classic “World In A World.” For guitarist and vocalist Ron Dorn, the track serves as both a tribute to the Bay Area thrash scene that helped shape him and a celebration of one of his favorite songs from Vio-lence‘s “Oppressing the Masses” era.
“I grew up in the San Francisco Bay Area and spent a lot of time going to shows when Vio-lence, Death Angel, and Forbidden were all local bands on the rise. When we decided to record ‘World In A World,’ my goal wasn’t to reinvent it. I wanted to stay as faithful to the original as possible while taking advantage of modern recording technology. The goal was never to improve on the original, just to celebrate a song that meant a lot to me growing up in the Bay Area while putting our own stamp on it,” explains Ron Dorn (Guitar / Lead Vocals).
The album represents a major creative milestone for the band. While “Failure Of State” introduced much of the lineup fans know today, much of that material was written before the current configuration was fully established. “Witness To A Dying World” marks the first time every member contributed significantly to the songwriting process from the beginning.
“This is the first album written by our current lineup from the ground up. Everyone contributed ideas throughout the writing process, and the songs benefited from having four people shaping them instead of one. It still sounds like Absolute Darkness, but it’s a stronger, more cohesive album because of that collaboration,” says Dorn.
Musically, “Witness To A Dying World” draws influence from thrash metal, melodic death metal, and traditional death metal while maintaining a focus on memorable songwriting, harmonized guitars, and dynamic arrangements. Fans of Slayer, Testament, Vio-lence, At The Gates, and The Crown will find plenty to appreciate throughout the record’s aggressive yet melodic approach.
The album also showcases the strongest production in the band’s history. Building upon the lessons learned from previous releases, Absolute Darkness enlisted engineer Harry Ahlas to help bring the record’s expansive songwriting and layered performances to life.
“The album is aggressive, energetic, and doesn’t let up for very long. We worked hard to make sure every song had something memorable, whether it’s a riff, a guitar harmony, a solo, or the back-and-forth vocal parts. I want people to enjoy the music first and then, if they choose to dig deeper, there’s another layer to discover in the lyrics,” adds Dorn.
From the war-torn devastation of “Attritional Warfare” to the opioid epidemic tragedy portrayed in “Snake Oil” and the uncompromising social commentary found throughout the album, “Witness To A Dying World” captures a band operating at its creative peak while remaining firmly rooted in the spirit of Bay Area metal.
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 order – https://absolutedarkness1.bandcamp.com/album/witness-to-a-dying-world
Spotify – https://open.spotify.com/artist/5m4EIiSaE9xGPPCs6PzNGR
Videos:
“Above The Law” – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5v6BRGFcnXY
“Attritional Warfare” – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kbh5jvhBQtQ
“Snake Oil” – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KGU2h8LqiKM
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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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“Absolute Darkness go straight for the throat with aggressive riffs, awesome grooves that will make you bang your head, and seriously neckbreaking thrashy riffs. This offering absolutely slams.” – Review Score: 8.15/10 – Drako’s Death Metal News & Reviews
“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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