No Mercy Metal Nights

28/01/2026

Catch Up O'Clock! 🤘

No Mercy podcast

24/01/2026

Good Afternoon Everyone

It's almost here, we are less than 71 Hours Away from the Re-Launch of 'No Mercy' as it will complete it's journey from it's former home of The Crew Rock Radio to being Exclusive via TotalRock.

And for 2.0 Pilot, here are the Bands who shall be Featuring....

Avenged Sevenfold, Aurorawave, Bad Omens, The Birthday Massacre, Blind Guardian, Ensiferum, Fear Factory, Five Finger Death Punch, Judas Priest, Kreator, Machine Head, Motionless In White, Motley Crue, Parkway Drive, Sabaton, Skid Row, Soulfly, South of Salem, Steel Panther, Turisas, Volbeat & Wicked Smile

Beginning on January 27th, the Show shall be Every Tuesday as Follows (then Repeated 12 Hours later as well, with Podcasts following after that)

14:00 - 16:00 Greenwich Mean Time

15:00 - 17:00 Central European Time

09:00 - 11:00 Quebec/United States Eastern Time

06:00 - 08:00 North American Pacific Time

22:00 - 00:00 Western Australian Time

It's great to be finally be back. 🤘😎🤘

02/01/2026

Good Evening Everyone

As one of the Preparations for my Return to Online Broadcasting having just joined TotalRock, I have a New Mixcloud Account for you all to follow.

Once 'No Mercy' begins again, having previously been on The Crew Rock Radio in 2025, every show will be uploaded here the day after it's original transmission. I might even bring back the 'Extra Time' segment which once upon a time was an exclusive podcast bonus part bolted on at the end, for when I used to do the 'Birmingham Steel Supershow' (which hopefully I will also have some news on at some point before the end of the month as well)

I have Big Plans for 2026 & despite battling ongoing health issues, wish to do as much as I can. Over the next Fortnight or so as well, I shall be Re-Uploading Classic Interviews I've done over the last 12 Years to a Separate Playlist just to remind you all who I used to be & who I will become once again.

Ladies, Gentlemen & Anyone who identifies differently.....

This is Not a Drill.......The Ego has Landed & He's Back! 🤘

DJ Karl Darkson is on Mixcloud. Join to listen to great radio shows, DJ mix sets and Podcasts

13/11/2025

Good Evening Everyone

Just over 24 Hours from now, it's the Return of 'Grave New World' to the The Brasshouse on Broad St. Birmingham which is right next to the Black Sabbath Bridge for those who haven't visited yet.

From Classic To Recent, Cranium Crunchers to Metal Anthems, no Rock shall be left unturned.

So come down & Feel the Steel this Friday.
🤘😎🤘

12/11/2025

INCASE YOU MISSED THEM.....

Good Evening Everyone, so last weekend I was on Double Duty, first up Djing the 'Anvil Anthems' inspired edition of 'Grave New World' at The Brasshouse on Broad St. Birmingham on the Friday & then at Ye Olde Foundry - Small Venue Huge Attitude on the Saturday with a 'Mean Green Fruit Machine' Afterset. Here's what was played.....

GRAVE NEW WORLD: ANVIL ANTHEMS (07/11/2025)

WARM UP

Treat - Out With a Bang
Journey - Wheel In The Sky
Honeymoon Suite - Feel It Again
Boston - Don't Look Back

HOUR 1

Gary Moore - Friday On My Mind
Thin Lizzy - Bad Reputation
Led Zeppelin - Heartbreaker
Black Sabbath - NIB
Judas Priest - Metal Gods
Motley Crue - Looks That Kill
Guns & Roses - It's So Easy*
Def Leppard - Let's Get Rocked*
Mammoth WFV - One of a Kind
Lily Lowe - Haunted House
Ozzy Osbourne - No More Tears*
Metallica - Wherever I May Roam
Iron Maiden - Blood Brothers

HOUR 2

Anthrax f/t Public Enemy - Bring The Noise
Skindred - Pressure
Korn - Make Me Bad
Megadeth - A Tout Le Monde
Black Sabbath - Fairies Wear Boots*
ACDC - Shoot To Thrill
Avenged Sevenfold - Hail to the King
Ghost - Faith
Volbeat - Shotgun Blues
Disturbed - Inside the Fire
Rammstein - Engel
Scorpions - No One Like You
Suicidal Tendencies - Send Me Your Money
Slayer - Seasons In The Abyss

HOUR 3

Faith No More - Land of Sunshine
Soundgarden - Rusty Cage
Alice In Chains - Check My Brain
Foo Fighters - Monkey Wrench
Ugly Kid Joe - Everything About You
Skid Row - Youth Gone WIld
Iron Maiden - The Trooper*
Motorhead - Sucker
Velvet Revolver - Slither
Alter Bridge - Metalingus
Thunder - Backstreet Symphony
Whitesnake - Still of the Night
Motley Crue - Dr Feelgood
Helloween - Future World*
Guns & Roses - You Could Be Mine

HOUR 4

Black Stone Cherry - Soul Machine
Ozzy Osbourne - I Don't Wanna Stop
Metallica - For Whom the Bell Tolls
Machine Head - Old
Rage Against The Machine - Know Your Enemy
Limp Bizkit - Take a Look Around
Papa Roach - Between Angels & Insects
System of a Down - Aerials
American Head Charge - Just So You Know
Five Finger Death Punch - Wash It All Away
Pantera - Walk
Judas Priest - Breaking The Law
Bon Jovi - Bad Medicine
Ratt - Slip of the Lip

HOUR 5

Van Halen - Panama
ACDC - Thunderstruck
Offspring - Come Out & Play
Rancid - Ruby Soho
Therapy? - Screamager
Pearl Jam - Even Flow
Alice In Chains - Man In The Box
Soundgarden - Spoonman
Linkin Park - One Step Closer
Spineshank - New Disease
Parkway Drive - Prey
Halestorm - Love Bites (So Do I)
Stone Temple Pilots - Plush
Steel Panther - Party Like Tomorrow is the End of the World
Def Leppard - Pour Some Sugar On Me
Guns & Roses - Welcome to the Jungle

HOUR 6

Tyketto - Forever Young
Stone Sour - Through The Glass
Kansas - Carry On My Wayward Son
Bon Jovi - Wanted Dead or Alive
Skid Row - Slave to the Grind
Megadeth - Hanger 18
Alestorm - Drink
Prong - Snap Your Fingers, Snap Your Neck
Green Jelly - Three Little Pigs
Iron Maiden - Fear of the Dark
Metallica - Enter Sandman
Diamond Head - Am I Evil? (2020 Version)

MEAN GREEN FRUIT MACHINE AFTERSET (08/11/2025)

HOUR 1

Aerosmith - Livin' On The Edge
Thunder - Backstreet Symphony
Nine Inch Nails - Head Like a Hole
Electric Callboy - Elevator Operator*
Rammstein - Buch Dich
Ozzy Osbourne - Hellraiser
Motorhead - Born To Raise Hell
Def Leppard - Animal*
Judas Priest - Locked In
Megadeth - Skin O'My Teeth
Pantera - Psycho Holiday
Red Hot Chili Peppers - Higher Ground
Rage Against the Machine - Bombtrack
Sum 41 - Fat Lip/Pain For Pleasure
Metallica - Sad But True

HOUR 2

Sepultura - Refuse/Resist
Stone Temple Pilots - S*x Type Thing
Hole - Celebrity Skin
Faith No More - Epic
Aurorawave with Atilla - Kindness
Skindred - Nobody
Linkin Park - Papercut*
Edguy - King of Fools*
Dream Evil - The Book of Heavy Metal
System of a Down - Sugar
Bring Me The Horizon - Can You Feel My Heart*
Parkway Drive - Vice Grip
Turisas - Rasputin
Trivium - Anthem (We Are The Fire)
Alter Bridge - Metalingus*
Machine Head - Davidian
Snot - Snot

HOUR 3

Volbeat - Lola Montez
Iron Maiden - Number of the Beast
Bring Me The Horizon - Throne*
Fear Factory - Edgecrusher
Slayer - Angel of Death
Black Stone Cherry - White Trash Millionaire*
Psychostick - Numbers
Rage Against The Machine - Killing In The Name Of*
Incubus - A Certain Shade of Green
System of a Down - Toxicity*
Alestorm - Fu**ed With An Anchor
Avenged Sevenfold - To End the Rapture/Beast & The Harlot

I'm also off to see Volbeat at the Utilita Arena Birmingham this Evening, feel free to say hello if you spot me there. 🤘

08/11/2025

Good Evening Everyone.

Tonight, I am back in the Heartwork of the Black Country aka Dudley with 'Mean Green Fruit Machine'. Taking the reigns for a Cranium Crunching Afterset following HARD GRAFT having taken to the stage. No specific genres on this occasion, just a wonderful melting pot of Hard Rock, Grunge, Metal, Alternative & anything else I feel like throwing into the mix.

Be there or be square! 🤘

07/11/2025

HAPPY FRIDAY EVERYONE!

Tonight for one night only, it's an 'Anvil Anthems', special edition of 'Grave New World', at The Brasshouse on Broad St. Birmingham where the Cranium Crunchers that I haven't played since my time at The Hammer & The Anvil + some of the Pre-Parties I used to do at Digbeth Works once upon a time, they will rise from the dead once again. If you loved those days, then hey guess what, you will definitely adore this too. Alongside my Carefully Chosen Classics, shall be featuring with Recent Releases Integrated too, choices that would have fit the past & shall definitely fit the Present & Future, 8pm-2am on the Night.

See you at Ze Bar, be there or be Square. 🤘

04/11/2025

Good Evening Everyone, DJ Darkson here.

With Noverberween 🎃 (as I'm calling it) now upon us, I'm back on Double Duty this week. First up, with the Road to Hallow's Eve having been completed, this Friday for one night only, it's an 'Anvil Anthems', special edition of 'Grave New World', at The Brasshouse on Broad St. Birmingham where the Cranium Crunchers that haven't played since my days at the Hammer & Anvil will rise from the dead once again. If you loved those days, then hey guess what, you will definitely adore this. The tunes shall return as well, but this time shall be integrated into the Regular Setlist so it won't just be Nostalgia, they'll be choices that would have fit the past & shall definitely fit the Present & Future, 8pm-2am on the Night.

Then this Saturday, it's my return to Ye Olde Foundry - Small Venue Huge Attitude over in the Heartwork of the Black Country aka Dudley with 'Mean Green Fruit Machine', no specific genres on this occasion, just a wonderful melting pot of Hard Rock, Grunge, Metal, Alternative & anything else I feel like throwing into the mix.

See you at either or hopefully both bars, be there or be square! 🤘

28/10/2025

Good Evening & Happy Everyone! 👻

This Friday, I am back at 'The Brasshouse on Broad St. Birmingham with things slightly different to usual. I shall be starting at the earlier time of 7pm with the Mighty Ducks of Cover (aka The Cover Ducks taking to the stage at 9pm bringing you a fine rendition of Classic Songs) where I shall then take back over afterwards with a Blistering Set with a Dark Mixture of Rock, Metal, Goth, Alternative & much more. Entry is FREE ALL NIGHT!

Also the following week, Friday November 7th for One Night Only, shall be the return of 'Anvil Anthems' where I'll be resurrecting Cranium Crunchers that haven't seen the light of day since I used to be the Original Resident DJ of The Hammer & The Anvil, if you loved what I used to do back then, then that is definitely the one you shall wish to make an appearance.

See you at the Bar......or should I say..........In the Crypt. 🤘

27/10/2025

Good Evening Everyone.

How are you all doing? I had an absolute blast this past Saturday with my 'ValHalloween' Afterset (see what was played below) at Ye Olde Foundry - Small Venue Huge Attitude which followed straight on after Vulcan Reign had slayed the stage. One of the best things about starting after bands is being able to put the Hammer down straight away, rather than having to map out an entire evening which is usually the case.

The next time I will be DJing in Dudley is Saturday November 8th with 'Mean Green Fruit Machine', so no set themes for this one, just the Absolute Finest in Rock, Metal & Alternative with a few unexpected curveballs thrown in for good measure as well.

See you soon my Beloved Yam-Yams.

VALHALLOWEEN AFTERSET - SATURDAY OCTOBER 25TH (25/10/2025)

HOUR 1

Motorhead - Serial Killer/Red Raw
Within Temptation - Final Destination
Corrosion of Conformity - Clean My Wounds*
Roadwolf - Supernatural
Saxon - Wheels of Steel
Volbeat - Dead But Rising
Judas Priest - Ram It Down
Metallica - The Thing That Should Not Be
Slayer - Disciple (God Hates Us All)
Alice In Chains = We Die Young
Sepultura - Roots, Bloody Roots
Rob Zombie - Living Dead Girl
Turisas - Rasputin
Alestorm - Drink
Amon Amarth - Raise Your Horns*
Sabaton - To Hell & Back

HOUR 2

Rammstein - Feuer Frei
Marilyn Manson - The Beautiful People
Disturbed - Voices
Pantera - Cowboys From Hell
Slipknot - Unsainted
Parkway Drive - Prey
Five Finger Death Punch - Mama Said Knock You Out
Korn - Freak On a Leash
System of a Down - Aerials
Avenged Sevenfold - Hail to the King
Iron Maiden - Number of the Beast
Blind Guardian - Valhalla
Ensiferum - One More Magic Potion
Helloween - Are You Metal?
Feuerschwanz f.t SDP - Knightclub*
Type O Negative - Halloween In Heaven

HOUR 3

Nine Inch Nails - Dead Souls
Cathedral - Hopkins the Witchfinder General
Black Sabbath - Fairies Wear Boots
Down - Stone the Crow
Coal Chamber - Loco
Ghost - Square Hammer
Dio - Holy Diver
Rainbow - Hall of the Mountain King
Powerwolf - Dancing with the Dead*
Tankard - Die With a Beer in Your Hand
Edguy - Sabre & Torch
Sellsword - Saxon Steel
Diamond Head - Immigrant Song

HOUR 4

Dream Evil - The Book of Heavy Metal
Children of Bodom - Are You Dead Yet?
Rammstein - Du Hast*
Metallica - So What?
Five Finger Death Punch - Under & Over It*
Like a Storm - Gangster's Paradise
Megadeth - Symphony of Destruction
Dragonforce - Through The Fire & Flames

P.S I will have details for the Halloween Edition & Following Friday editions of 'Grave New World' tomorrow where I will have a announcement for the latter of them. 🤘