Hope Deferred: “Darkness Remains” Album Review

Earlier this year the news broke that David Burton, former lead vocalist of The Showdown, had joined forces with Hope Deferred, a death metal band. Hope Deferred features former members of The Famine and Embodyment along with David. They actually take their name from Proverbs, which reads "Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but desire fulfilled is a tree of life” (NASB). They released their newest album, Darkness Remains.This is an album centered around topics like false teachings, prosperity gospel and being bold in your faith. Going into this, I was curious how David’s southern scream would blend with Hope Deferred’s brutal deep death metal. But, honestly it was a match made in heaven.

Darkness Remains Album Review:

Tracks: 10

Length: 34 minutes

Release Date: October 31, 2025

Label: Charon Collective

Darkness Remains starts with a short intro, in “Void with No Voice,” that launches into a screeching guitar riff, accompanied by an equally brutal double pedal drum. It was impressive to hear David hit those low guttural growls. This leads to “Commanded to Kill,” the first single released. The drums were aggressive and unrelenting. The lyrics are so intense, but it provides honest disclosure about what happens when you oppose God. One section in particular drive this home:

“Burn the slaughtered. Trample the ash beneath. Wickedness will be purged from the face of the earth. Curse the ruins. Never again shall rise. Never oppose the one true God!”

The second single to be unveiled was the song "Brethren of Blood," a powerful track, accompanied by a lyric video to give listeners the full experience. This song is an encouragement to believers about giving it all to the faith.

“They can’t kill your soul. Death’s door yields the eternal. So, fear no more. Strength in your weakness. Give it all. Faith with no regrets.”

This song is an invitation to examine what’s holding you back from sharing your faith. The band is relentless between the punishing double bass pedal and blistering guitar riffs. But, that’s what you want out of a death metal album! This song continues that brutality as David’s vocals seem primed and ready for it. The opening to “Absent Souls” reminded me of the guitarwork from The Showdown. It seemed to be a mixture of southern and death metal. Another highlight is the drum work, not just in this song but the whole album. So fast and aggressive, but methodical. Every movement is thought out and precise.

“Whom Shall You Serve” is an absolutely fierce song with another shredder of a guitar solo. This album just continues to wow. Musically, “Inhumane World” leans darker, set apart by its fuller-sounding guitars, courtesy of Andy Godwin and Jon Tooley. The title track, “Darkness Remains,” kicks into high gear straight from the beginning, as the vocals come rushing right out of the gate along with the guitars. About halfway through, the tempo slows down enough for the audience to catch their breath.

“Avarice” is a flamethrower of a song. It’s non-stop. How David can maintain that brutal scream without slowing down is incredible. It proves that screaming involves much more technique and skill than most people think.  It takes a lot of finesse to maintain that scream, pulling it from the bottom of your diaphragm rather than the back of your throat, as some people would think. This song highlights David’s ability to scream and scream well. As intense as the music is, the lyrics are even more so. They target those who preach the prosperity gospel and honestly what they’re writing here is true. It’s selfishness and self-idolatry masking as a gospel.

“This is how my God works; offerings to release your healing. Let’s measure your faith by the things you gain. ‘Cause you know that cash is king.”

“When the cripple cries for comfort and the blind man beg to see, my anointed hands start shaking. It’s my time to shine. Roll film, ‘cause you don’t want to miss this.”

That last line, I felt it was a drop mic moment. These church leaders want to so badly be in front of the camera with their virtue signaling. But behind closed doors, the mask comes off and the wolf’s head rears its ugly head. Remind yourself what is the word that you are hearing on Sunday mornings? Is it one that is centered on the Word that was given to us by God or a word that is meant to lift man up rather than God?

When “Fail You” first started, I could’ve sworn that it was a Famine song based on the instrumentation, but David’s vocals roared in and you knew it was Hope Deferred. Just as the last song targets the prosperity gospel, this one targets those who fall to false teachers.

“The adversary walks through doors wide open. Willing to participate in mocking your reverence. Wheat from the chaff. Witness the threshing. Many are called, but few are chosen.”

The beginning of “Wrath’s Misery” was so massive that it sounded more like an introduction to an album than its closing statement. But it was a great song to end the album, closing on a positive note with a worship song, as strange as that may seem on a death metal album! The highlight is the passion that pours forth from the lyrics.

“Rocks will cry out. Mountains bow and lay their crown at His feet. Roaring of angels deafens disbelief. Mercy is balanced with wrath’s misery.”

“Kingdom, kingdom, awaited kingdom. Eternal presence. His purpose complete. Worship, worship, unending worship.”

This track offered a brilliant conclusion to a stellar album. It also powerfully illustrates that worship comes in all forms. It doesn’t have to be limited to songs written by Chris Tomlin or Brandon Lake or Hillsong. Worship can be found in songs in all styles, even in aggressive sounding death metal.

Darkness Remains is a great death metal experience, meeting every expectation for the genre from the first track to the last. It incorporates the screeching guitar riffs along with the relentless double bass pedal. Dave’s vocals fit in naturally with the band’s existing sound. The brutal music pairs well with the savage lyrics, tackling topics like false teachings, facing adversity and knowing that God will reign at the end of it all. If you enjoy the music and want to try to match the guitar or drum parts, you're in for a tough challenge!

If you liked The Famine and Embodyment, this is an album for you. While I really enjoyed it, it didn’t have a stand out moment. The riffs were great and I thoroughly enjoyed hearing David brutalize the microphone once more, but it didn’t keep drawing me back in. There are some albums out there that you just need to put on repeat and with that said, I’m giving Darkness Remains a four out of five.