Emerging Artist Reviews

John Santana Releases Album "Darkness Of Metal"

by The Metalverse

Updated October 06, 2025

John Santana Releases Album "Darkness Of Metal"

Tracklist:

Darkness Of Metal
Who's Crying Now
Black Pearl Queen
Black Raven Quest
Burn Them All In Hell
Castles On The Hill
It's A Crying Shame
Kill Them All
Steal The Night
Eclipse
Speeding Outta Ma Head

Review

New rock songwriter from the U.K., John Santana, has just released his debut album, Darkness Of Metal. Santana was recently signed by Heart Point Records, managed by Sony Orchard.

Darkness Of Metal opens with scorching lead guitar lines and percussion before exploding into full force as sweeping guitar harmonies, powerful vocals, and rumbling bass craft a sound that instantly evokes a nostalgic 70s-80s classic rock/metal atmosphere that will transport listeners back to rock 'n' roll's golden era. The song honors heavy music legend Ozzy Osbourne with verses like "We'll never forget him, In time through echoes of his name, A fire still burns bright, He will always be a legend".

Who's Crying Now shifts direction with a female vocalist providing vocals that lean more toward pop and operatic influences as gentle rock progressions and lyrical piano work fill the sonic space, creating an accessible and potentially more radio-friendly sound. John Santana demonstrates his musical range with Who's Crying Now, embracing a ballad-inspired, memorably hook-driven approach that stands in stark contrast to the rawness of the previous track.

Black Pearl Queen jumps into action with dueling guitar lead harmonies and an overall bright, energetic sound as the female vocals from the previous track are maintained. Introducing symphonic power metal influences to the album for the first time, Black Pearl Queen takes on a grandiose sound with belted vocals and dramatic choirs in a dynamic chorus.

Black Raven Quest begins with a melodic piano and strings intro, as gentle singing is introduced and begins to tell an epic tale. John Santana brings back the more pop-rock ballad style from earlier, with a focus on vocals and more mainstream instrumentals.

Burn Them All In Hell adopts a sonic approach that fuses 80s glam metal, power metal, and traditional metal–featuring soaring vocal lines, fast-paced guitar progressions, and punchy drumming. Evoking comparisons to bands like Iron Maiden, Burn Them All In Hell recaptures that throwback energy while presenting a contemporary classic rock aesthetic.

Castles On The Hill brings male vocals back into the mix, and rapid orchestral melodies and slamming drum grooves create a balance between melody and destruction as powerful vocals take the forefront of the soundstage. John Santana does an excellent job of creating huge energy shifts between massive choruses and calmer verses that build up anticipation.

It's A Crying Shame places echoing, ethereal vocals front and center as shimmering piano lines emerge in the background along with subdued guitar work, establishing a gentler atmosphere as soaring vocals cut through the arrangement. John Santana presents a soft-rock composition rich with emotion and an emphasis on stirring melodies.

Kill Them All rapidly establishes a traditional metal foundation, straddling the boundary between thrash and power metal. The song generates a dramatic atmosphere with commanding vocals, massive riffs, and an electrifying energy. During the bridge, Kill Them All transitions to gentler singing and piano before climbing toward a final, explosive chorus.

Steal The Night begins with fingerpicked acoustic guitar and elevated vocals before erupting into driving drums, stacked vocal harmonies, and an anthemic chorus. Steal The Night successfully manages the tension between mellower verses before launching into commanding choruses in a dramatic energy transformation. John Santana offers an acoustic "unplugged" approach that provides a welcome variety.

Eclipse starts with booming bass and gentle piano before massively reverbed singing joins the fray. Intensely high-pitched singing builds a soft rock and roll ballad sound as vocals may remind one of acts like Queen or Aerosmith. Slowing things down and focusing on immersive atmospheres and melody, Eclipse is a nice change of pace from faster tracks that keeps things interesting.

Speeding Outta Ma Head brings back that old-school metal feel with fuzzy guitar leads, raw vocals, and crashing drums. John Santana showcases a wide variety of sounds and influences throughout the album, and Speeding Outta Ma Head even has an unpolished old-school mix that sounds like it was recorded in the 80s. After a soaring guitar solo and rapid chugging takes the stage alongside raspy singing, the song fades out with layered vocals, creating a huge sound.

Overall, Darkness Of Metal delivers a wide array of classic rock and metal sound that changes from track to track, keeping things interesting!

You can stream Darkness Of Metal out now!