Famously recognized as the Black Label Society’s second guitarist next to band leader Zakk Wylde, Dario Lorina has a fascinating tale to tell about his Rock-n-Roll journey.
To start with, Lorina has been in the trade of guitar-slinging professionally before he even graduated high school at the age of sixteen, becoming a touring guitarist for the late, great Warrant Vocalist Jani Lane. He would then join up with the highly underappreciated Heavy Metal band Lizzy Borden, remaining with them from the age of nineteen until twenty-two. From here, Lorina would work on some instrumental records before Zakk Wylde called on him to join the Black Label Society.
It is a wild, unpredictable story, and for every young guitarist who spends hours in their room practicing, a dream come true. With such vast experience earned at such a young age going into Black Label Society, you could say over the last decade-plus that Lorina has been Wlyde’s right-hand man, sharing solos, providing backing vocals, and even performing on piano. A truly important piece of that puzzle, now Lorina looks to cast off on his own adventure with his new band, Dark Chapel.
A band that first emerged with the single “Glass Heart” just a couple of months ago, in November 2024, it became evident this new project would have a gritty, dirty, Hard Rock sound akin to the ’90s scene when others like Alice in Chains and Soundgarden dominated. A great introduction that provoked curiosity, Dark Chapel includes Lorina on guitar and vocals, with Brody DeRozie on guitar (known for his work with Sebastian Bach), accomplished Bassist Mike Gunn, and highly talented Luis Silva on drums. Together, they come from different walks of life and seem pretty amped up to have this new creative outlet to call home.
With this in mind, the debut of “Glass Heart” did not tell the entire story because the next single, “Hollow Smile,” came on like a ton of bricks with blistering Metal guitars before “Corpse Flower,” which also dazzled with a thick groove. The latter is the last sample taste before the actual full-length album, Dark Chapel’s Spirit in The Glass, arrives on February 28, 2025.
Released through MNRK Heavy (the same label as Darkest Hour, Texas Hippie Coalition, and Ace Frehley), Spirit in The Glass is ten songs of well-crafted, moody, Heavy Rock music with plenty of appeal. As mentioned, there is certainly a Grunge sensation in the tone, and this is evident with the guitar work, which has muddy riffs coupled with more traditional soaring Metal riffs. Then there is Lorina’s vocals, which are raw and laid-back but have a ton of energy during key moments. The best way to describe Lorina’s approach is a mix of Layne Staley, Jerry Cantrell, and Chris Cornell, but all with his own sound that is quite inviting.
A treat for fans of the more Metal side of the rougher ‘90s sound, Dark Chapel does not possess the more shiny, excessively loud sound of Modern Metal bands, where everything seems to be tracked and mastered at the same volume. Instead, Dark Chapel gives you a dynamic mix where you can distinguish each riff and enjoy them without a piercing pain down the center of your forehead.
Beyond this, the songs themselves are exceptional, including the aforementioned pre-released singles, the powerful “We Are Remade,” the dark undertone of “Corpse Flower,” and the Blues-laden “Gravestoned Humanity.” This is coupled with other great listens, such as the stripped-back “Dead Weight,” which features Lorina solely with a piano and an emotionally driven vocal performance.
Overall, if you are a fan of Dario Lorina’s work with Black Label Society and Alice in Chans and Soundgarden, among others, you are going to love Dark Chapel. Let us just hope that the band continues on long after this album with this lineup because it seems the chemistry is exactly what it needs to be. Recommended to check out, Cryptic Rock gives Dark Chapel’s Spirit in The Glass 4 out of 5 stars.
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