Make Dark ascend with live video for sprawling epic 'The Summit (Pt. 1)'

Wellington-based progressive metal outfit Make Dark are building momentum with the release of a live performance video for their latest single ‘The Summit (Pt. 1)’—a brooding, slow-burning journey that showcases the band’s command of atmosphere, tension, and release. Filmed live at the Underworld Tavern in Wellington, the video captures Make Dark in their element: unfiltered, immersive, and locked in as a unit.

This release follows their debut EP Badlands, a record that balances post-metal textures with progressive metal intricacy—drawing on influences like Opeth, Katatonia, Jakob, Gazpacho, and Leprous without ever losing their own identity. ‘The Summit’ extends that vision further—less a standalone single and more the opening scene of something larger and looming.

There’s a sense that Make Dark are only just beginning their climb. With Badlands laying the groundwork and The Summit pointing toward higher ground, the band are fast becoming a vital voice in Aotearoa’s heavy music landscape.

Watch ‘The Summit (Part 1)’ live now, and keep Make Dark on your radar—especially if your taste skews toward the cinematic, the cerebral, and the crushing.