Darko Return With New Single “The Ladder” & “Sparkle In Motion” Documentary

Veteran UK Melodic Hardcore act Darko have returned with The Ladder, their ambitious first new release in over five years. The track offers a first listen to the band with new vocalist, Tom West (Almeida), who brings a jarring intensity and an unsparing attitude to the south England quintet. Gravelly former vocalist Dan Smith retired from the band in 2020, relocating to his native Australia after a decade of worldwide touring. Darko‘s updated incarnation is likely to polarise listeners. this new single unapologetically serves up fiercely political lyrics across 7+ minutes of progressive thrash. 

West uses his new platform to immediately urge fellow punks to take a stand against the scene’s “embedded misogyny”, screaming “How can we bring change with only people who look like us up on stage?”. Katz Hinsley of Manchester’s Follow Your Dreams adds her signature yells to the track’s crescendo, with the passionate refrain “the scene is big enough for every one of us”.

The Ladder is available on all digital platforms ahead of the upcoming new EP, Sparkle, that is set for release on Lockjaw Records in Europe and Thousand Island Records in North America in summer 2022. Fans who want early access to all four tracks can purchase an exclusive 34-minute 4K feature featuring candid interviews and playthrough videos of Sparkle in its entirety, the Sparkle In Motion documentary can streamed via Vimeo