''Dark Flag'' is the fourth studio album by American

metalcore Metalcore is a broadly defined fusion genre combining elements of extreme metal and hardcore punk, originating in the 1990s United States and becoming popular in the 2000s. Metalcore typically has aggressive verses and melodic choruses, combined ...

band

Phinehas According to the Hebrew Bible, Phinehas (also spelled Phineas, ; , ''Phinees'', ) was a priest during the Exodus. The grandson of Aaron and son of Eleazar, the High Priests (), he distinguished himself as a youth at Shittim with his zeal again ...

. The album was released on November 17, 2017, through

Solid State Records Tooth & Nail Records is a record label founded by Brandon Ebel in California in November 1993. The label later moved to Seattle where it is today. History Brandon Ebel and Michael Knott conceived the label as a joint venture, before Knott backe ...

, the band's first release through the label. It was produced by

Matt Goldman Matt Goldman (born December 30, 1969) is an American record producer, audio engineer, mixer, and songwriter based in Atlanta, Georgia. Biography Born in Spartanburg, South Carolina, United States, Goldman is a drummer by trade. Goldman c ...

and Daniel Gailey, the band's guitarist.

Composition

''Dark Flag'' is a

concept album A concept album is an album whose tracks hold a larger purpose or meaning collectively than they do individually. This is typically achieved through a single central narrative or theme, which can be instrumental, compositional, or lyrical. Som ...

about

human rights abuse Human rights are universally recognized moral principles or norms that establish standards of human behavior and are often protected by both national and international laws. These rights are considered inherent and inalienable, meaning t ...

North Korea North Korea, officially the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), is a country in East Asia. It constitutes the northern half of the Korea, Korean Peninsula and borders China and Russia to the north at the Yalu River, Yalu (Amnok) an ...

. Originally, the band recorded the album in four with Sean McCulloch on vocals, Daniel Gailey on guitar, Bryce Kelley on bass, and Lee Humerian on drums. However, Humerian left the band during production of the record while they were also on tour. Gailey produced the album with

(

Underoath Underoath (styled as Underøath or UnderOath) is an American rock band from Tampa, Florida. It was founded by lead vocalist Dallas Taylor and guitarist Luke Morton in 1997 in Ocala, Florida; subsequently, its additional members were from Tamp ...

, Copeland, The Chariot). Track 10, "Communion for Ravens", features guest vocals from Jimmy Ryan of

Haste the Day Haste the Day is an American metalcore band formed in Carmel, Indiana in 2001 and signed to Solid State Records. Their name is derived from a lyric in the hymn "It Is Well with My Soul" by Horatio Spafford. The band released an EP titled '' T ...

Track listing

Personnel

;Phinehas * Sean McCulloch – lead vocals, artwork * Daniel Gailey – guitars, backing vocals, engineering, mixing, production * Bryce Kelley – bass, backing vocals * Lee Humerian – drums, backing vocals (left during production) ;Additional musicians * Jimmy Ryan of

– guest vocals on track 10, "Communion for Ravens" * Luke Conway – additional vocals * Lauren Gailey – additional vocals * Alex Garmon – additional vocals * Keifer Johnson – additional vocals * Parry Kitt – additional vocals * Joshua Landry – additional vocals * Ben White – additional vocals * Dustin Williams – additional vocals ;Additional personnel *

– production, vocal engineering * Nicholas Morzov – drum engineering * Troy Glessner – mastering * Scott Baldwin Lee – vibe mastering * Adam Skatula – A&R * Jim Hughes – layout * Sarah McCulloch – photography

Charts

References

{{Authority control Phinehas (band) albums 2017 albums Solid State Records albums 2010s concept albums