Jim Durkin, Dark Angels founding member, guitarist, and songwriter, died from unknown causes at the age of 58 in Los Angeles. Without him, the band’s three hugely influential albums “We Have Arrived“, “Darkness Descends” and “Leave Scars” would have never happened. He departed the band in 1989 and returned in 2013.
“Darkness Descends” is considered by many in the metal community as “the greatest thrash metal album of all time” and even influenced bands like Slayer.
Statement From Family
News of his passing was shared by his wife, Annie, on Facebook:
“With a broken and heavy heart, I want to share that the love of my life, my best friend and husband, Jimmy, passed away Wednesday morning. He was not alone as I was with him along with a few close friends until the end. He will be truly missed and no one can ever replace the love I have for him. May he rest in peace. Ever Thine, Ever Mine, Ever Ours … My Immortal Beloved. I will see you again.”
Statement From Band
The band also confirmed Durkin’s passing: “We in the Dark Angel family are deeply saddened and crushed today with the news of our brother and founder Jimmy Durkin passing away Wednesday morning. We would like to thank his fans for their continuous loyalty and support. We will come out with a full statement very soon. We ask that you please respect the family’s privacy while we mourn the loss of this great man.”
LA Shows
Jim was still active in Dark Angel as the only original member at the time of his passing. The band was even slated to play three sold-out shows in Los Angeles at the Teragram, playing the entire “Darkness Descends” album.
It is unknown if these shows will go on.
Video
Rare old-school footage from 1986 featuring original singer Don Doty
2014 Finland
We in the Dark Angel Family are deeply saddened and crushed today with the news of our brother and founder Jimmy Durkin passing away Wednesday morning. We would like to thank his fans for their continuous loyalty and support. We will come out with a full statement very soon. pic.twitter.com/KsOMV228l9
Sadly, I have been getting many collections I have been buying lately because the original owners have passed away. I picked up this killer old-school thrash, death, and black metal from the original owner’s family through the mail from North Carolina after they had cleaned out his storage area.
In it were a ton of great out-of-print rarities, and I have outlined some of the gems below.
Gems From This Collection
Sodom – Agent Orange LP 1989 R/C Records – RC 9480 – Excellent original copy of Sodom’s 1987 thrash metal classic “Agent Orange” still in its original shrink wrap.
Death Angel – The Ultra-Violence LP 1987 Enigma – ST-73253 – Another great thrash metal record from 1987 and the best by Death Angel, still in its original shrink wrap with hype stickers.
Exhorder – Slaughter in the Vatican CD 1991 Roadrunner – RO 93632 – Kill first pressing of Exhorer’s debut album and a pricey and rare CD.
Slayer – Hell Awaits CD 1986 Combat – 88561-8020-2 – An actual real first pressing of Slayer’s “Hell Awaits”with the orange back panel. I have never even seen one of these before. Very rare.
Sepultura – Morbid Visions CD 1990 New Renaissance Records – NRCD43 – This a an OG on New Renaissance Records, as you can tell by the insanely simple rear-panel layout.
Have A Collection Like This To Sell?
I am always buying metal collections like you see in the post. Use this contact into to get ahold of me.
Kings Of Thrash is a Megadeth tribute band consisting of former members of Megadeth David Ellefson (bass), Chris Poland (guitar on Peace Sells and Killing Is My Business), Jeff Young (guitar So Far So Good, So What?) along with musicians Chaz Leon (guitar/vocals), and Fred Aching (drums). To date, they have played only four shows but have hinted a more extensive tour is coming.
Kings Of Thrash sold out The Whiskey in Hollywood for this October 15th show. The setlist consisted of So Far, So Good, So What and Killing Is My Business, and Business Is Good, played in their entirety (almost), and a few songs from Peace Sells.
The Good
The best part of the show was that the band performed many deep cuts from the first classic albums that Megadeth may have played live on stage. The crowd responded strongly to the early material, especially Killing Is My Businessthrashers like “Mechanix” and “Rattlehead”. Predictably, the mosh pit on the floor got so violent that people were getting carried out. Nevertheless, it was great to see this response from an audience that probably wasn’t alive when these songs came out, judging by the average age in the crowd.
The encore was also great, even throwing in some deeper cuts from Peace Sells like “Devil’s Island” and “Wake Up Dead”. Chaz Leon and Fred Aching did commendable jobs covering their roles in the band. It’s also worth noting that Chris Poland is an absolute savage on guitar and is the best guitar player that has ever been in Megadeth.
The Bad
Nothing was necessarily bad, though the was some room for improvement. One was the sound. When the band came out, they sounded perfect, but singer Chaz Leon complained about the monitors so much in the first few songs it caused the soundman to scramble the sound for the show’s first half altogether.
Jeff Young seemed like he was playing relatively slow, at a few points, dragging down the tempo of the entire band.
The worst thing about the show was the inclusion of Chris Poland as a “special guest”. He only performed four or five songs with the band as a third guitarist. When the show’s Killing As My Business portion started, Jeff should have exited the stage, and Chris should have been the sole lead guitar player, as he originally played and wrote the material.
The Verdict
If you are a hardcore Megadeth fan and Kings Of Thrash decides to take this show back on the road, this is definitely a once-in-a-lifetime experience worth checking out. This same night Testament, Death Angel, and Exodus were also playing in town…I chose Kings Of Thrash, and so should you!
Video
Here is one video of “502” performed at the same show as this review.
Kings Of Thrash Setlist
So Far, So Good, So What
Into the Lungs of Hell
Set the World Afire
Anarchy in the U.K.
Mary Jane
502
In My Darkest Hour
Liar
Hook in Mouth
Killing Is My Business and Business Is Good
Last Rites/Loved to Deth
Killing Is My Business… And Business Is Good
Rattlehead
Looking Down the Cross
The Skull Beneath the Skin
Chosen Ones
Mechanix
These Boots
Peace Sells, but Who’s Buying?
Wake Up Dead
Good Mourning / Devil’s Island
Peace Sells
Past Show Dates
October 12th- Brick by Brick- San Diego
October 13th- Crescent Ballroom- Phoenix, Arizona
October 14th- The Space- Las Vegas
October 15th- Whisky A Go Go- West Hollywood, California
Here is a fantastic first press metal collection a guy brought in two weeks ago.
And here is a great punk rock vinyl collection I picked up this weekend.
Featured Punk / Metal Vinyl
Here are some of the gold nuggets from the videos above.
Black Flag – Nervous Breakdown EP 1980 SST SST 001 – This is the third pressing of “Nervous Breakdown” by Black Flag. There are over 20 years of pressings of this EP. Actual first pressing is some of the most expensive punk rock albums out there that can go for over $1000 easily.
Ramones – Ramones LP 1976 Sire – SASD-7520 – First pressings of this debut Ramones LP average between $143 – $432, according to Discogs, and keep going up.
Possessed – Seven Churches LP 1985 Combat – MX 8024 – One of the most influential extreme metal albums of all time and some argue the first death metal album, early pressing of Possessed “Seven Churches” are a holy grail of vinyl collectors. The camouflage label is technically a second press, even though it came out the same year. Unlike many vintage metal albums, the first press CD is worth more than the album and is one of the most expensive metal CDs.
Slayer – Show No Mercy LP 1983 Metal Blade Records – MBR 1013 – Slayer’s debut album is now the most expensive and hard to find in their catalog. This copy is the repress technically, but it still sells for north of 300 dollars.
Have Albums Like This You Want To Sell?
If you have a collection like this you are looking to sell, I am always buying. Use the info below to get hold of me.
I have the following very rare punk and metal unofficial (or semi-official) available for purchase. These titles cause problems when listed on eBay or are not allowed on Discogs.
Samhain – November-Coming-Fire LP 2014 Plan 9 – PL9-07 Sealed Color Unknown $60
Slayer – The Songbook Of The Antichrist Part 2 LP 2008 – HTWDD-IC-0801-2 VG+/EX – $60 **SOLD**
Misfits – Descent Into Evil LP 2017 Plan 9 – PL9-12 SEALED $40
The Subhumans – Incorrect Thoughts LP 1985 CD Presents, Ltd. – CD036 VG+/EX – $85
Eye Of The Thrashguerilla LP 1999 – 大隊 Records – 002 GERMANY EX/EX – $50
Misfits – Walk Among You (Live @ Michigan Union Ballroom, Detroit, 1983 WCBN FM Radio Broadcast) LP 2015 Bad Joker – BOSS 5-1987 SEALED NETHERLANDS $50
Slayer – Show No Mercy LP 2013 Roadrunner Records – RR 9868 EX/EX $100
Toronto’s Sacrifice is definitely on my list of metal bands that should have been bigger. 1985’s “Torment in Fire” is the first wave black metal classic, and 1987’s “Forward To Termination” is a thrash metal classic that is easily on par or better than many of their peers from the Golden Age Of Metal. Despite playing the right kind of music at precisely the right time and quite well, mainstream success was in the cards for Sacrifice.
The band released a few more albums in the early 90s, then broke up and reformed in 2008, and is still active today.
Sacrifice in 2009
Newly released on Blessed Curse Recordings comes an excellent treat for a fan of this band. “Sacrifice – Live At The Starwood Club Toronto Nov 23, 1985” documents the band (as the title would suggest) — Sacrifice playing a live set very early in their career between the release of “Torment in Fire” and “Forward To Termination“.
New Live Album 2022
All of the songs are selections from “Torment In Fire” and are as follows:
POSSESSION
SACRIFICE
INFERNAL VISIONS
TURN IN YOUR GRAVE
BURNED AT THE STAKE
HOMICIDAL BREATH
NECRONOMICON
DECAPITATION
BEYOND DEATH
Listen On Youtube
The recordings are rough and raw but are far from terrible. Unfortunately, there are only 500 copies of this album available, and they are hand-numbered, so grab one while you can.
The original owner was a younger guy, but the entire collection consisted of 20% from the Golden Age Of Thrash Metal and 80% from the 90s peak of death metal. 95% of these albums are reissues, but a few first are pressings that include “Slowly We Rot” and “Cause Of Death” from Obituary.
Even some of the reissues can be shockingly expensive due to the 7-12 month delays in vinyl production that is now plaguing the music industry.
I have cataloged the inventory from this purchase below. If you are looking to buy any of the entries listed can do so at ThrashMetalIQ on eBay.
This article is a continuation of my 2020 blog post detailing the most expensive metal CDs that we have had first-hand experience with from buying a lot of heavy metal CD collections. For the 2021 update, I have expanded the list to 25 because we’ve grown considerably as a business. The values assigned to each are based on amounts we have sold them for and are not an aggregate. All CDS from the 2020 blog post have also been excluded from this list, but you can view the archive here.
Krabathor – Cool Mortification CD 1993 Monitor – 010174-2331 (Czech Republic) – This CD is rare and HEAVILY counterfeited — there are very few real ones floating around. Some counterfeits even mimic the runout matrix, but if the ring does not look exactly like this, it is fake.
SOLD 9/11/2021 – $199.95
2. Morpheus Descends – Ritual Of Infinity CD 1992 JL America – 3815-41012-2
Morpheus Descends – Ritual Of Infinity CD 1992 JL America – 3815-41012-2 – This is a another heavily bootlegged CD, but the 1992 first press with this runout Matrix / Runout (Variant 1): W.O.# E35739-1 *MANUFACTURED BY AMERICAN HELIX* CD 0400313815-41012-2 is worth a mint.
SOLD 8/1/2021 – $149.95
3. A.C. – It Just Gets Worse CD 2003 Earache – MOSH 195CD Original Factory Sealed
Anal Cunt – It Just Gets Worse CD 2003 Earache – MOSH 195CD – This is more than what this CD usually fetches (usually $50-$70), but this copy was factory sealed made it slightly more expensive. The fact Seth Putnam and the gang are canceledfrom metal continues to drive Anal CuntCD price northward.
SOLD 6/7/2021 – $129.95
4. Iron Maiden – Tailgunner CD Single 1990 Epic – ESK 2233 PROMO
Iron Maiden – Tailgunner CD Single 1990 Epic – ESK 2233 PROMO – With no cover art (comes as disc only), the mega-rare Iron Maiden radio promo is worth a pretty penny.
Sold 8/8/2021 – $99.95
5. Sanctuary – Into The Mirror Live / Black Reflections CD 1990 Epic– ESK2188 PROMO
Sanctuary – Into The Mirror Live / Black Reflections CD 1990 Epic– ESK2188 PROMO -Worth so much because: 1000 copies were manufactured and 500 were distributed to radio stations / stores. The other 500 were destroyed due to contractual issues with the label.
SOLD 6/12021 – $99.95
6. Nasty Habit – Rock Hard CD 1991 American Records – 1439-2
Nasty Habit – Rock Hard CD 1991 American Records – 1439-2 – Honestly, I have no idea why this CD is so expensive, but it didn’t sit on the shelf long.
Accidental Suicide – Deceased CD 1992 Grind Core – 89811-2 – Very rare self-release grindcore. This copy sold for a lt because it was factory sealed, but any copy is worth at least 50 bucks.
SOLD 5/5/2021 – $98.72
8. Death – Scream Bloody Gore CD 1987 Combat – 88561-8146-2 (FIRST PRESS)
Death – Scream Bloody Gore CD 1987 Combat – 88561-8146-2 – The first press and the repress if this album has the same catalog number. The first pressing lists all of the song titles straight in a row. The repress says “Side A / Side B” on the rear card.
SOLD 4/4.2021 – $98.69
9. Gutted – Gutted CD 1997 Loud N Local Music Group – LNLMG9701-2
Gutted – Gutted CD 1997 Loud N Local Music Group – LNLMG9701-2 – The original indie release is the one that’s worth big money. It was later reissued by the Greek label Repulsive Echo.
SOLD 6/1/2021 – $96.94
10. Gorguts – Considered Dead CD 1991 R/C Records – RCD 9273
Gorguts – Considered Dead CD 1991 R/C Records – RCD 9273 (ORIGINAL RARE) – Like many CDs from the golden age of death metal, this one is worth a bunch and does not stick around long.
SOLD 7/7/2021 – $95.95
11. Immolation – Stepping On Angels…Before Dawn CD 1995 Repulse Records RPS 004 CD
Immolation – Stepping On Angels…Before Dawn CD 1995 Repulse Records RPS 004 CD – Another winner from one of the more prominent bands from the 90s golden age of death metal.
SOLD 3/3/2012 $95.41
14. Immolation – Dawn of Possession CD 1991 R/C Records RCD 9310
Immolation – Dawn of Possession CD 1991 R/C Records RCD 9310 – ORIGINAL PRESS – Debut CD from Immolation and second title from this band to make this list.
SOLD 5/5/2021 – $92.23
15. Dawn – Slaughtersun (Crown Of The Triarchy) CD 2004 Necropolis 44021-2
Dawn – Slaughtersun (Crown Of The Triarchy) CD 2004 Necropolis 44021-2 – I don’t know much about this band.
SOLD 2/1/2021 – $89.96
16. Iron Maiden – No Prayer For The Dying CD Single 1990 Epic – ESK 73695
Iron Maiden – No Prayer For The Dying CD Single 1990 Epic – ESK 73695 – Another super rare 3-song radio, which includes two unreleased cover tunes.
SOLD 7/21/2021 – $89.95
17. Bruce Dickinson: Killing Floor / King In Crimson CD CMC International
Bruce Dickinson: Killing Floor / King In Crimson CD CMC International RARE PROMO – Another very rare and valuable radio promo with only one song from the Iron Maiden frontman.
SOLD 8/28/2021 – $87.95
18. Transgressor – Ether For Scapegoat CD 1992 Cyber Music – CYBER CD 03
Transgressor – Ether For Scapegoat CD 1992 Cyber Music – CYBER CD 03 NETHERLANDS = Another band I don’t know a ton about other than their CDs are worth a bunch.
SOLD 4/21/2021 – $82.95
19. Scorpions – Virgin Killer CD 1989 RCA – B20D-41012
Scorpions – Virgin Killer CD 1989 RCA – B20D-41012 Japan /w OBI Banned Cover – Japanese version with the original banned artwork – super valuable and out-of-print!
SOLD 6/20/2021 – $74.95
20. Seance – Fornever Laid To Rest CD 1993 Black Mark Production – BMCD 17
Seance – Fornever Laid To Rest CD 1993 Black Mark Production – BMCD 17 – Very rare release on Quarthon’s from Bathory’s Black Mark label.
SOLD 6/21/2021 – $74.95
21. Massacre – From Beyond CD 1991 Relativity – 88561-2038-2
Massacre – From Beyond CD 1991 Relativity – 88561-2038-2 – Death alumni’s minus Chuck. This CD has Very sought after.
SOLD 3/3/2021 – $74.61
22. Dismember – Like An Ever Flowing Stream CD 1992 Nuclear Blast – IMP. NBA 6018
Dismember – Like An Ever Flowing Stream CD 1992 Nuclear Blast – IMP. NBA 6018 – This CD has been reissued many times, but the first press in the one that is worth money.
SOLD 1/2/2021 – $73.71
23. Burzum – Det Som Engang Var CD 1997 Misanthropy Records – AMAZON 002
Burzum – Det Som Engang Var CD 1997 Misanthropy Records – AMAZON 002 – DIGIPAK – For some reason, you are forbidden from using the word “Burzum” on eBay. Still, if you search for “1Burzum” you are likely to find the entire catalog.
SOLD 4/4/2021 – $69.95
24. Dark Forest – Land Of The Evening Star CD 2012 Bleak Art Records BAR011
Dark Forest – Land Of The Evening Star CD 2012 Bleak Art Records BAR011 Canada – Rare Canadian death metal.
SOLD 7/13/2021
25. Dominus Xul – The Primigeni Xul (I Condemned My Enemies) CD 1999 Picoroco CHILE
Dominus Xul – The Primigeni Xul (I Condemned My Enemies) CD 1999 Picoroco CHILE – Last but not least.
SOLD 2/1/2021 – $59.95
Looking To Buy CDS?
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The video below is just a portion of a rare metal and punk vinyl collection I valued at approximately $120,000. I recently bought it from a private collector here in Los Angeles.
This epic record collection consisted of around 3500 12″ LPs and 1000 7″ singles. Since the start of COVID, most of the records I have been buying have all been internationally, but this collection I found locally in Los Angeles. After some negotiation with the seller, this purchase was by far my largest, which I picked up for $67,000.
The Anatomy Of A Deal
In the weeks leading up to the purchase, the seller allowed me to appraise the albums one by one (which took me over a week to do). I entered them all in notebooks. You can see an example of my appraisal below.
Albums are hot right now. Unfortunately, some collectors have an unrealistic idea of what they are worth, but as a buyer, you need to spend a lot of money to buy good collections of rare metal and punk albums. Therefore, I tailor my offers to be at least 50% of the total value as a rule of thumb. I am negotiable up to roughly 60%, but it can be higher under rare circumstances. Above 70% of the total value, the seller would make the same amount of money selling them on eBay individually.
Also, remember that even if the seller were selling it to another party that wasn’t a reseller, the buyer wouldn’t pay the total price for every album; there would be some discount.
Here are some photos from the gem vinyl in the video above. The first video is less than 20% of the collection. I will update this post or create a new one to showcase some of the records. Unfortueny, I can’t make a complete list as I did here of all of them, but feel free to contact me if you are looking for something specific.
Collection Highlights
Some of the my favorite pieces in this collection are as follows. I have timestamped some of the links to take you to exactly the spot in the video where these metal and punk LP appear.
The Testament, Exodus and Death Angel“The Bay Strikes Back” Tour has been postponed until April 2022, citing the Delta variant of COVID 19. Testament guitarist Alex Skolnick, who is a notorious Libtard, complains “The type of disruptions Kiss and other large outdoor venue tours have experienced could cause our shows to be permanently cancelled – a lose/lose for everyone.”
The guitarist continues…
“The fact that a lower budget tour such as ours is limited to indoor venues with tight backstage space only adds to the risk. It should go without saying that calling off these dates was a ‘last resort’ decision, and everyone involved would much rather this weren’t the case. However, this is the new reality we’re all in.”.
We are quite sure that by 2022, there will be another wave of COVID that will just push this tour back even further. This is the clown world we are living in. It is worth noting, all three bands seem fine with braving the pandemic for a day to play the Aftershock Festival in San Francisco.
2022 The Bay Strikes Back Tour Dates
The rescheduled 2022 tour dates are as follows.
4/9 – San Luis Obispo, CA – Fremont Theater 4/10 – Anaheim, CA – House of Blues 4/12 – San Diego, CA – House of Blues 4/13 – Las Vegas, NV – House of Blues 4/15 – Tucson, AZ – Rialto Theatre 4/16 – Albuquerque, NM – Sunshine Theater 4/19 – Oklahoma City, OK – Diamond Ballroom 4/20 – Houston, TX – White Oak Music Hall 4/21 – Austin, TX – Emo’s 4/22 – Dallas, TX -Amplified Live 4/23 – New Orleans, LA – House of Blues 4/26 – Atlanta, GA – The Masquerade 4/27 – Raleigh, NC – The Ritz 4/30 – Sayreville, NJ -Starland Ballroom 5/1 – Baltimore, MD – Soundstage 5/2 – Boston, MA – House of Blues 5/3 – Philadelphia, PA – Theater of Living Arts 5/5 – Huntington, NY – The Paramount 5/6 – Buffalo, NY – Town Ballroom 5/7 – Cincinnati, OH – Madison Theater 5/9 – Pittsburgh, PA – Stage AE 5/10 – Cleveland, OH – The Agora 5/11 – Columbus, OH – Newport Music Hall 5/12 – Detroit, MI – The Majestic Theatre 5/14 – Joliet, IL – The Forge 5/15 – Joliet, IL – The Forge 5/17 – Minneapolis, MN – Skyway Theatre 5/19 – Denver, CO – Summit 5/20 – Salt Lake City, UT – The Depot
Also reporting difficulties touring is Heathen, saying smaller bands like themselves were unlikely to even find a place on the touring circuit.
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