Byron Bay metal titans Parkway Drive have unleashed another epic cut from their forthcoming album Darker Still, sharing the title track with us.
As a song, ‘Darker Still’ shows us a side of Parkway we’ve never really heard before. A seven-minute, slow-burning epic along the lines of Metallica’s ‘Nothing Else Matters’ or Pantera’s ‘Cemetery Gates’, the metal ballad kicks off with moody acoustic guitar and a whistled melody (think Guns N’ Roses ‘Patience’ except eerier) then builds with ethereal choirs and an explosive guitar solo. Not to mention a surprisingly retrained performance from vocalist, Winston McCall.
WATCH: Parkway Drive – ‘Darker Still’
“Love. Time. Death. The great defining elements that make up our existence. This song begins with the simplest of human sounds and represents these elements as the musical journey grows to reach its souring crescendo before facing the inevitable conclusion of its journey,” McCall explains in a press release. “The night grows dark… darker still.”
To celebrate the release, the band have also announced what they’re dubbing the “first ever Parkway Drive interactive pop-up store”.
Taking place in Melbourne on Saturday, 10th September (that’s the day after their official album release for those playing at home) the pop-up will be located at Collingwood’s OSHI Gallery and packed with exclusive merch, vinyl, a signed Parkway guitar, plus never-before-seen Parkway Drive art and memorabilia.
The first 50 metalheads through the door will also score a Parkway Drive signed print. You can head on over to the official event page for more info.
Meanwhile, Parkway’s seventh full-length LP Darker Still is scheduled to arrive on Friday, 9th September via Parkway Records.
In a statement, McCall described the follow-up to 2018’s Reverence as the record the members of Parkway Drive have been trying to make their entire careers.
“When Parkway originally started out, we all were trying to push ourselves to do more than we possibly could,” McCall said.
“What you hear on Darker Still is the final fulfilment of our ability to learn and grow catching up with the imagination that we have always had.”
You can pre-order the LP here.
Further Reading:
Parkway Drive Announce New Album ‘Darker Still’, Share New Single
Parkway Drive Release ‘Glitch’, Their First New Single Since 2018
Winston McCall On New Parkway Drive Music & The Band’s Long-Awaited Return To Stage
