Ex–Periphery and Sky Eats Airplane drummer Travis Orbin has joined veteran Washington, D.C., melodic death metal band Darkest Hour. “I’ve been jamming and writing a new record with the guys for over a year,” says Orbin. “It’s been especially rewarding in that everything was composed in a room together, a wholly organic process that I haven’t experienced in a long while. I’m excited about the tunes [and about] signing on as a full-time member, and I can’t wait to hit the road!”

“This is a very exciting time in the history of the band,” says singer John Henry. “Travis is one of the best drummers I’ve ever seen, and he’s bringing to the table an incredible and inspiring amount of talent and musical ability. This marks the beginning of a new era for Darkest Hour.”

Darkest Hour’s upcoming studio album featuring Orbin is slated for a late-2013 release. In the meantime, watch Travis jam to his recent Cartoon Theory recording session here.