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By RYAN BROSMER

YOUTH CORRESPONDENT

Back in 1998, John Henry was just, as he describes it, a straightedge, "a nerd" trying to make it through high school.

However, that was the year that would change his life and his friend Mike Schleibaum's life.

Almost eight years and more than five albums later, Henry and Schleibaum are still together. They're members of the Victory Records band Darkest Hour, which will visit KC's Music Alley in Fredericksburg for the first time on Saturday.

In a phone interview while at a recent tour stop in Baltimore, Henry talked about growing up in Washington, how Darkest Hour evolved, and what lessons the band has learned from it all.

"Me and Mike started the band when we were in high school," Henry said. "It was a lot different than what it's turned into today."

Darkest Hour took its sound beyond the hardcore that was flourishing in D.C. and let "more metallic hardcore kind of stuff" influence the music, he said.

But it wasn't until drummer Ryan Parrish joined, Henry said, that the band "really started."

Parrish is a native of Richmond, which means any show in the D.C. or Richmond areas seems like a homecoming.

Being in a band from a city like Washington is "just awesome," Henry said. The proximity to politics and other events has allowed the band's albums to be influenced "just from what was going on in the world at that time."

Darkest Hour has spent most of this year on the road in support of its latest Victory Records release, "Undoing Ruin."

The album proved to be a metal masterpiece. But during its recording, Henry was unsure the album would live up to the hype Victory was pouring over it, describing the then-yet-to-be-released album as "metal album of the decade."

"We didn't really know what to expect," Henry said.

What they were sure of, though, was the value of their time spent with producer Devin Townsend.

Henry recalled that Townsend made everyone "really comfortable."

Townsend also taught Henry a lesson that would help set his vocals apart from everyone else in metal: Enunciate.

Something that sets "Undoing Ruin" apart from other metal albums--and past Darkest Hour albums--is not only does Henry have a message, people can actually understand that message.

"Devin Townsend kicks [butt]," Henry said.

Darkest Hour feels being on an indie label is "definitely better" than being on a major label. The band is the longest-active member of the Victory Records roster.

The worst thing about being in the music business, Henry said, is that "the business side always [messes] with everything."

He also has no problem with downloading music.

"I think it's fine," he said. "The bands that are already rich are the ones complaining about it."

He admits that the members of Darkest Hour all download. He said it's a "positive way to find out about new bands."

RYAN BROSMER is a senior at Courtland High School.