Reunited DARK ANGEL Performs At SWEDEN ROCK FESTIVAL (Video)

Fan-filmed video footage of reunited thrash metal pioneers DARK ANGEL performing on June 5 at this year's edition of the Sweden Rock Festival in Sölvesborg, Sweden can be seen below.

Commented DARK ANGEL drummer Gene Hoglan: "Boy, these DARK ANGEL shows have truly been incredible! To be playing again and hanging with the guys has been just awesome, as well as meeting all the fans! So many of you have so many great stories to share, it's been a real pleasure for all of us.

"Y'know, DARK ANGEL has always been a strong brotherhood, and getting together again with the dudes has just increased it. And hey, even my Dad got to come to the Sweden Rock show with us! That's fun! He got to see the brutality of the traveling metal musician real up close and personal, but Dad's a total trooper, and he had a blast!

"Next stop for us will be the Hellfest in France, where we get to share the stage as direct support for SOUNDGARDEN and BLACK SABBATH.

"We, as a band, would like to offer our condolences to MEGADETH's Dave Ellefson for the loss of his brother and their subsequent cancellation of their tour, without which, of course, we wouldn't be playing in their stead at Hellfest. Our respects to the Ellefson and MEGADETH family, and we greatly look forward to playing for all our French fans!”

DARK ANGEL's current touring lineup:

* Gene Hoglan (drums)
* Eric Meyer (guitar)
* Jim Durkin (guitar)
* Ron Rinehart (vocals)
* Michael Gonzalez (bass)

During an appearance on the September 8, 2013 edition of the "Heavy Metal Mayhem" radio show, Hoglan spoke about the DARK ANGEL reunion, saying: "The most important thing for, I think, any of us, and especially me, and I know a couple of the other guys that are involved that the legacy of the band is very important. And if the band has attained some of kind of underground legendary status over the years, then if we do wanna return, a lot of people have great expecations of us, we'd better exceed those expectations.

"Like Ron Rinehart said, the definition of 'good' is 'not bad.' [laughs] We don't wanna come out and even be great; we wanna be No. 1. And that's a very heartening attitude.

"If some of the people that might wanna get involved with this… You've gotta do it for the right reasons. This is for the fans. And we're gonna come out and disappoint the fans, don't do it. If we're gonna come out and make the fans go, 'Yes, I expected something great and I got godly.' Then there's a reason for doing it."

DARK ANGEL released two albums with Don Doty on vocals — 1984's "We Have Arrived" and 1986's "Darkness Descends" — before he exited the group and was replaced by Ron Rinehart (after a brief stint with Jim Drabos in 1987). The band issued two more studio LPs — 1989's "Leave Scars" and 1991's "Time Does Not Heal" — before calling it quits in 1992. Rinehart, Hoglan and Meyer reassembled DARK ANGEL more than a decade ago but were forced to abandon their reunion plans after health issues reportedly put an end to Rinehart's singing career.