Darkthrone

Darkthrone’s third demo, Thulcandra, was recorded in March 1989. Musically, this is more of a pure death metal, with a very strong Autopsy influence. The sound is not as rough as the previous tapes, but not polished at all and suits the material.

Of the three tracks, "Thulcandra" is the real standout. It features aggressive riffs as well as a slower part with clean guitar, something the band liked to do during this period. The tremolo riff near the end is quite memorable and adds a sense of urgency. The songwriting is dynamic enough without being as spastic and directionless as some of the material on Soulside Journey. "Archipelago" is another strong track, the sort of straightforward death metal that the full-length seemed to lack at times. The vocals are sparse, with the focus being on the music. There is a sense of the band trying to create mini epics with the various riffs and shifts in tempo, but in this case it makes logical sense and moves the song forward rather than feeling like pointless detours.

The band also recorded a cover of Celtic Frost's "Visual Aggression" during this session, which wasn't released until many years later but really should be listened to in connection with the rest of this demo. Of all of the songs here, only "Eon" was used for the debut L.P. which is strange as it's the least interesting track, though still fine.

Fenriz handles vocals, and his style on this demo seems influenced by Chris Reifert. It’s one of my least favorite of his performances from this era, which is strange because that same year, his vocals on the Isengard demo Spectres over Gorgoroth were excellent in a black/death style. The vocals here aren’t great, but they’re tolerable. The strange thing is that he's capable of much better, but for some reason consciously chose this approach.

Overall, Thulcandra is a solid demo. Anyone who wants to check out Darkthrone's death metal period should definitely give this a listen. Some of the material is definitely stronger than what ended up making it to the first full length, and the sound in general just suits the material far more than the slicker sound that they achieved when they went to Stockholm.

Recorded live in November 1989, Cromlech was Darkthrone’s fourth and final demo and the one that got them signed by Peaceville Records. It features three new songs, all of which would appear on their debut L.P. This is the first recording with Nocturno Culto handling vocals, and it’s a definite improvement over the previous demos.

The sound is clear enough but with a rawness that suits the material far better than the Sunlight Studio production of Soulside Journey. The songwriting is a bit more technical, to the detriment of the atmosphere, featuring bits and pieces that seem superfluous. The meat of the tracks consists of solid death metal, and if some of the wankery had been trimmed, the songs would have benefitted. Fenriz is overactive on the drums here; "Accumulation of Generalization" shows that less would have been more. "Sempiternal Past/Presence View Sepulchrality" may be the best track here and, though featuring some of the same flaws as the others, includes sections of pure, straightforward death metal. It would have been nice to see those bits expanded upon.

Later demo compilations include other songs from this session, such as "Soria Moria" and "Iconoclasm Sweeps Cappadocia", which are actually a bit more enjoyable than the tracks chosen for the official tape at the time. There’s also a version of "Eon/Thulcandra", which is really just the former in its entirety with the first little bit of the latter tacked onto the end. It’s kind of disappointing, because it would have been cool to hear an updated version of "Thulcandra" with Nocturno Culto on vocals. It was one of their better songs from this period, and it’s unfortunate they discarded it.

Cromlech is a decent demo, despite the drift toward technical death metal with overcomplicated arrangements. While it might seem like the least essential of Darkthrone’s early tapes, since all of the material was re-recorded for the debut album, the songs sound more raw and organic here, which makes it worth a listen.

The band that would become Darkthrone formed during 1986 in Kolbotn, a small suburb of Oslo. They were a death metal group by the name of Black Death, and its members were Gylve Nagell, Ivar Enger and Anders Risberget. In 1988 the band changed their name to Darkthrone and were joined by Ted Skjellum and Dag Nilsen. During 1988 and 1989 the band independently released four demo tapes that resulted in being signed by Peaceville Records.

Early on, they appeared to have ties with some members of the Swedish death metal scene, as Tomas Lindberg (of Grotesque / At the Gates) assisted in the creation of the Darkthrone logo and Uffe Cederlund (of Entombed) was present in the studio during the recording of their debut L.P., Soulside Journey, in 1990. The album was produced by Tomas Skosgberg, in Sunlight Studio (known for such albums as Sumerian Cry, Left Hand Path, Dark Recollections, et cetera). This is the only death metal album that the band recorded, as they went for a primitive black metal style, not long after this was released.

Soulside Journey begins with a brief, horror-inspired intro before the song "Cromlech" comes thundering in. To those not familiar with the band's origins, it may sound strange to hear technical death metal from these guys, but here it is. One of the first things to notice is the fast tremolo riffs. This style was already somewhat common in Swedish death metal, yet Darkthrone utilized these riffs far more efficiently. This goes to show that the band didn't change so drastically, with the albums that followed this. As for differences, Nocturno Culto's vocals are deeper, yet not too deep, and Fenriz is quite active behind the drum kit, showing his high level of skill.

"Sunrise Over Locus Mortis" continues down the same dark path as the first song. There are a lot of tempo changes on these songs and quite a bit of doomy atmosphere created during the slower sections. In those early years, it didn't seem to matter what Darkthrone did. Whether they were playing death or black metal didn't make a difference, as they excelled at both. Honestly, there wasn't much of a reason to continue with the same musical direction after this album as they had accomplished something great.

The opening moments of the title track sounds pretty close to what the band would be doing a couple years later, beginning with cold tremolo melodies and fast drums. Of course, the speed does not remain the same as there are so many different riffs and tempo changes. Even on the instrumental track that follows this, "Accumulation of Generalization", it is clear that the riffs are the most important thing to this band, despite Fenriz's technical prowess being difficult to hide. The atmosphere, throughout the album, is one of horror and doom, as one can easily gather from the opening moments of "Neptune Towers". When keyboards are used, it is very sparingly and only to add to the dark atmosphere, like a horror score.

"Sempiternal Sepulchrality" is, possibly, the most energetic and thrashy song on the album. This is filled with riffs and is one of the faster and more aggressive songs found here. This is counteracted by "Grave With A View", which returns to the doomy atmosphere and features a nice part in the beginning, with some chorus of demons calling from beyond. This song also features a brilliant solo. Nocturno Culto truly excelled when it came to lead solos, far beyond many of his peers.

As "Iconoclasm Sweeps Over Cappodocia" plays, one cannot help but think that Soulside Journey features more use of the freezing cold tremolo riffs than many of their other albums. They are separated by many doom riffs and even some thrashier moments, yet they are all over this album. Songs like "Nor the Silent Whispers" and "The Watchtower" display influences that range from old Slayer and Kreator to Death and even Black Sabbath.

The album concludes with "Eon", a brilliant instrumental that features some use of keyboards to accentuate the dark and foreboding atmosphere, possessing a sinister and twisted feeling quite similar to the score of a '70s horror film. There is also a very noticeable Death influence found here.

There is some debate as to what subgenre this belongs to, as the lyrics and atmosphere, as well as many of the riffs, seem to belong to black metal. However the percussion and the song structures, despite the unorthodox timing, belong very much to death metal. The vocals also lean more in this direction, as well. Whatever way you wish to classify this album, you must appreciate the music.

For those who seem to think of Darkthrone as terrible musicians because of the primitive and minimalist path that they chose after this, you really need to give this a listen and realize that it was, indeed, a choice. Many that wish to emulate them simply hide behind the low-fi production and primitive musicianship because that is all that they're capable of. The members of Darkthrone are masters of creating dark atmospheres, regardless of the way in which they set about achieving this.

Soulside Journey is recommended to those wishing to see the early days of this band. Also, for anyone into the early Swedish death metal bands such as Tiamat, Entombed, Carnage / Dismember, Unleashed, et cetera, this will probably appeal to you, though this has as many differences as similarities with the early albums from those bands.

In 1991, while working on their second album for Peaceville Records, Darkthrone abandoned the path that had been cleared for them and wandered into the desolate forests. They achieved a decent amount of success with their debut album, Soulside Journey, and they were soon to follow it up with another brilliant death metal album. Truth be told, as a death metal band, they crushed the majority of their peers in Scandinavia. However, three of the four members felt that a change was needed. Inspired by the ancient ones that had gone before them, such as Bathory, Hellhammer/Celtic Frost and Mayhem, they scrapped the material for the Goatlord album and began creating something primitive and dark.

From the frozen landscape of the bitter cold northland, A Blaze in the Northern Sky took the metal world by surprise. It met with some resistance, before it was even released. Bassist, Dag Nilsen, was not pleased with the change in musical direction and was unceremoniously expelled from the band. However, since he did have a hand in the songwriting, to some degree, the other members felt that it was only right that he play on the album as a session musician. Once it was completed, Peaceville seemed displeased in what they heard, since they were expecting a death metal album. They showed no understanding of black metal and wanted the album to be remixed because it wasn't heavy enough. Even the aesthetics were completely different. Rather than a painting for the cover, they used a grim photo of Zephyrous in the cemetery, during one of their nocturnal rituals. Real names had been abandoned in favor of pseudonyms. Perhaps taking inspiration from Dead, who had killed himself just months earlier, they now wore corpsepaint. They were no longer the death metal band that Peaceville had initially signed. Darkthrone remained firm in their convictions and knew that if Peaceville didn't want to release the album, they could fall back on Euronymous and his label, Deathlike Silence Productions. Not wanting to lose a recently signed band to some tiny label, Peaceville agreed to release the album as it was, and the second wave of black metal was officially unleashed.

The album begins with "Kathaarian Life Code". The intro starts out with a low drone, and a thundering bass drum, followed by a slow and ominous chanting in the background. The atmosphere that is created by this has to be heard to be truly understood, words do not do this justice. Soon after Fenriz’s tortured vocals come in over this in something of a spoken word form, filled with hate, yet giving the impression that he is being strangled.

The song erupts with furious violence, guitars extremely fuzzy, drums creating a violent wall of sound. It is quite reminiscent Vader's Necrolust demo. As for the vocals, Nocturno Culto emits some of the most demonic sounds ever recorded. He sounds possessed by the forces of evil. His vocals are much more raspy and grim than on the previous album. The song does not maintain the fury for too long before going into a more mid-paced Celtic Frost-inspired riff. The tempo changes aid in ensuring that such a lengthy song never becomes repetitive. Already, one gets the feeling that this could have, easily, been released five years earlier. This is total primitive black metal, the way it was meant to be. The final guitar melody of the song is about as cold as it gets.

"In the Shadow of the Horns" is next, and this continues the Celtic Frost worship. But this is much uglier than anything on Morbid Tales. The brief solos on this album remind me a bit of some old Bathory, though Nocturno Culto says he was greatly influenced by Death's Scream Bloody Gore. However, that may have been only in regard to Soulside Journey. The song really shows its brilliance as it speeds up, with the tremolo riffs and blasting drums accompanying Nocturno Culto as he channeled the voice of the night, itself. Most people really enjoy the mid-paced parts, but I think the fast melody is the best part. Late in the song, an acoustic guitar is played over everything else, and the effect is perfect.

"Paragon Belial" opens with riffs worthy of an old Bathory release. Not long into the song, riffs from the aborted Goatlord session bleed in. They try their best to play these horror death metal riffs in a black metal style, but they certainly stick out. However, the later part of the song more than makes up for this, with a somewhat mournful and epic vibe taking over. As the song slows down, Nocturno Culto's tortured voice howls:

"My flesh yearns...for the tombworld."

The slow, somber riffs that end this song are very memorable and create a dark and gloomy atmosphere. It feels like a good song to die to.

"Where Cold Winds Blow" is another fast, freezing cold black metal song. The main riff seems to have the purpose of hypnotizing the listener and preparing them to be possessed. As the tempo changes from blistering fast to somewhat mid-paced, the hatred in Nocturno Culto's vocals flows out like venom. Musically, there is a strong Bathory and Mayhem influence on this song, with this track best representing the sound that would soon become identified with the Norwegian scene. As the pace picks up a bit, the melody is very memorable and inspires one with a sense of dread, before the thundering drums and droning guitars return. There are a few instances where the guitars are left alone, with no drumming or vocals, which does well to really convey a sense of frozen solitude. So far, this album isn't just paying homage to the old black metal bands, it's killing them slowly while setting a new standard.

The title track continues in much the same fashion, opening with a venomous fury before settling into a Bathory-esque mid-paced black metal riff. That's not to say that the album is nothing but Bathory and Celtic Frost worship. They take a good deal of influence from the old bands, while also infusing that with their own creative direction, which is what makes this album so special. This song already existed during the Goatlord sessions, but it was adapted for this album with the black metal opening. The slow melody, near the middle, creates a dark and eerie feeling as a morbid voice calls out:

"The next thousand years are OURS!"

The song ends with a perfectly placed guitar solo, which adds to the atmosphere. The end is near.

"The Pagan Winter" brings things to a proper conclusion, starting with a bitter dismal riff that has a gloomy feeling, before transitioning to something more inspired by Bathory. Brilliant, freezing cold melodies, perfectly timed tempo changes, excellent vocals and a hellish guitar solo make this quite a memorable song and a good way to end the album. This song possesses an epic feeling and produces mental images of traveling through a desolate wintry landscape, in the light of the full moon, on the way toward a cold grave. The Celtic Frost riffs near the end are well done, also.

The ominous chant that began the album now returns, thus ending this masterpiece of Norwegian black metal. While Mayhem, Burzum and Immortal were all working on albums, Darkthrone was the first to release anything and were responsible for unleashing the fury from the north that would soon spread across the world, like an ancient plague.

After releasing the classic A Blaze in the Northern Sky, Darkthrone began working on the follow-up, taking their time to perfectly craft every melody, every note; to create nothing less than pure, freezing cold black metal. While Fenriz mentions the presence of "fucking death metal riffs" that crept into the previous album, due to time constraints, this is where the band completed the dark metamorphosis. Under A Funeral Moon is one of the most grim and morbid recordings ever made. The Celtic Frost vibe seems absent here, replaced by even more Bathory worship. (In one interview, Nocturno Culto actually mentions taking Under the Sign of the Black Mark into the studio to give the producer an idea of the sound they wanted.) However, to imply that this entire album is simply derivative of what came before would be an error. Darkthrone came into their own, in many ways, on this album. While their influences are still obvious, there is a lot on this album that is neither Hellhammer nor Bathory, but rather pure Darkthrone.

This is raw and minimal, like nothing before. A Blaze In the Northern Sky was primitive yet very powerful and thunderous. The drum work on Under A Funeral Moon is quite different. Despite being exceptionally talented (as was certainly displayed on Soulside Journey) Fenriz showed a deeper understanding of what black metal is supposed to be and toned it down. The drums are basic and also lower in the mix than on the last album. They are there only to keep the song going forward. The focus here is on the guitar melodies. The guitars are much thinner and the bass is actually audible, maintaining a doomy feeling throughout much of the album. Despite the fuzzy guitar sound, everything is remarkably clear. Every note can be heard. Nocturno Culto's vocals are supported by a healthy amount of reverb and he sounds like he has just risen from a grave.

"Natassja In Eternal Sleep" is a fast paced song, with a mournful and repetitive tremolo melody that is accompanied by hauntingly sorrowful lyrics. The mood is evil yet also mournful, as the lyrics tell the story of a dead witch. Musically, this is a perfect example of, what would become known as, the typical Darkthrone sound.

"Summer of the Diabolical Holocaust" continues on at full speed, until midway through the song. This is when the bass becomes quite audible and the listener is overcome with a morbid grave lust. The eerie solo is very reminiscent of Bathory. There is a lot of Mayhem influence on this track which is likely due to the fact that the guys had an advance copy of Live in Leipzig and had been listening to it a lot around this time, according to Fenriz.

What follows this is one of the most morbid riffs, as "The Dance of Eternal Shadows" begins. Nocturno Culto truly sounds as if he is calling out from the grave. The song begins very slowly, before picking up with the fast tremolo melodies. The song slows down again, near the end, as the feeling of death fills the air. As life fades, hell awaits. This song is very chilling, to say the least.

"I am ready...for the god below"

"Unholy Black Metal" is very fast and serves to bring a bit of life back to an album otherwise steeped in death and morbidity. The somber atmospheres and mournful melodies take a break and the listener is able to pull the knife away from their throat and let go of it for a moment. This song is very minimal, and could not have been more appropriately named. The old Bathory vibe is very clear, particularly in the brief solo. But this influence would get much stronger as the song ends...

"To Walk the Infernal Fields" has to be seen as a tribute to Bathory's "Enter the Eternal Fire", borrowing some riffs. This is the longest song on the album, and returns to the mournful and depressive atmosphere that prevails elsewhere on Under A Funeral Moon. Much like "Enter the Eternal Fire" this song is midpaced, with subtle melodies underneath the main riff. Late in the song, everything slows way down and it feels like a funeral march, with thunderous drums and cymbals leading the way to the nocturnal graveland. As you gaze into the abyss, certain of your own doom, the main riff returns and pulls you away from the edge.

The next song erupts from the darkened abyss like a horde of demons. "Under A Funeral Moon" possesses some of the best riffs on the album, as well as lyrics that are absolutely perfect for the atmosphere that is being created. If it is possible for one song to embody everything that is great about an album, this would be the one. The Bathory-esque solo is bone chilling and the vocals could not sound more deathly and demonic. The slower section in the middle is brilliant and really takes the listener down, deeper and deeper. The story being told is that of a nocturnal ritual, leading through the gates of death and beyond. There are some very cold riffs here, foreshadowing what is to come on the following release, but this album fills my mind less with imagery of Winter forests and more with grim cemeteries, funeral torches and an overpowering lust for death and Hell.

"Inn i de dype skogers favn" is very repetitive and feels less inspired than the rest of the album. It is not bad, but simply not as interesting as the other songs. There are some tempo changes, but there is something lacking from this one.

"Crossing the Triangle of Flames" really feels like it is dragging you down to Hell. The fast tremolo riffs and hateful vocals dominate the song, while Fenriz employs some interesting variation with the drums. Then the song slows down, and the guitar is nearly alone with only sparse drum fills. The riff is actually similar to something that one would find on a Burzum album and definitely has the trademark Norwegian sound. As cold winds sweep over the desolate graveland, Nocturno Culto snarls:

"I am Lucifer!"

Then the bells begin to toll. A slow, morbid riff repeats as the album fades out, leaving only the chiming of the funeral bells. With the funeral moon illuminating the cold landscape, the nocturnal rituals have been performed and the listener now finds himself face to face with his dark master, leaving all traces of life and light behind. This is black metal. This is the feeling that it is meant to convey.

In the winter months of 1996/1997, I learned of a college radio show that played black, death and doom metal, called "The Haunted Mansion". I listened to this show, regularly, and recorded a lot of music. It was on a dismal Winter night that I heard my first Darkthrone song, "Over fjell og gjennom torner". It was unlike anything I had ever heard. At this point, the darkest music I listened to was old Slayer, Hellhammer and Venom. None of the death metal I was listening to at the time, such as Altars of Madness by Morbid Angel, came anywhere close. This was something altogether different. After two and a half minutes, the song ended just as abruptly as it began. In those two and a half minutes, I was changed forever. Musically, I had lived a very sheltered existence. With this one song, the walls crumbled and I was left in the fiery abyss, alone in the light of the flames. I didn't fully comprehend what just happened, but I kept going back to the tape and I listened to the song again and again.

Some time later, one October night, I acquired Transilvanian Hunger on cassette. The first time I listened to this masterpiece, the experience was quite similar to when I'd heard that first song. The music was bleak and minimal. The Necrohell production job was shocking. The odd silences between the songs built tension. The hypnotic melodies filled my mind with visions of a Medieval castle deep within the frozen forest, inhabited by a creature of darkness, lusting for the blood of mortals. I listened to this tape over and over again, all night. The sorrowful melodies and despairing vocals continued to haunt me, long after the cassette had been put away. Each day, I went back to it and had to listen to it as many times as I possibly could. Never before or since has an album had such a profound effect on me.

The year was 1993. Within the span of a few months, Under A Funeral Moon was released, Burzum released Det som engang var, Mayhem completed recording of De Mysteriis Dom Sathanas, Euronymous was murdered and Varg Vikernes went behind bars for murder and church arson. Into the autumn months, Immortal released Pure Holocaust and Darkthrone went into Necrohell Studio to record Transilvanian Hunger.

Transilvanian Hunger forever remains Darkthrone's ultimate masterpiece and one of the strongest black metal albums ever recorded, Norwegian or otherwise. It is the single most influential record from this entire subgenre. The all embracing minimalism and hatred evoked on the album has made it the definitive work of any black metal band and has inspired legions of followers to try, in vain, to recapture the black magic of this grim art. With Transilvanian Hunger, Darkthrone reached the level or progression (or regression) that they had been seeking since embarking on the dark path that they had taken in 1991. Everything that Under A Funeral Moon was striving to be was captured here.

Realizing that which many others seem to miss, Fenriz embraced pure minimalism in his drumming technique, resorting to fills only when absolutely necessary; filling almost every song with simplistic, pulsing drumbeats, continuously alternating bass and snare. The fact that the drums are so low in the mix also helps to enhance this atmosphere, creating a much more internal, visceral feeling. The real key to this album is the guitar work. The guitar melodies are the most important thing. The dark and sorrowful harmonies stand out, and convey a depressing and hateful feeling. Riff-wise, this may be one of the most important albums for black metal. Needless to say, it's minimalist; a series of notes will revolve around one chord for any given amount of time, before switching to another riff of the same nature. All of the playing is based upon mid-paced, tremolo-picked chords. However, each song has its own identity.

The title track remains one of the greatest black metal songs ever created. It takes the listener on a journey through cold mountains and forests of Transilvania, toward an evil castle to face the dreadful bloodlust of the morbid count. The imagery created is that of cold stone walls, torches lighting the shadowy halls, bats and cobwebs. This is pure horror, yet it feels all too real. As with most music, this is best when listened to in the dark, illuminated only by the light of candles. The song is indicative of the whole album, creating a freezing atmosphere of darkness and sorrow.

"Over fjell og gjennom torner" is the shortest song on the album, but it is just as memorable as the rest. It is doubtful that any other band could create such an epic feeling with so few riffs and such little time, but Darkthrone achieved this with no problem. Despite sounding hateful and evil on the first song, Nocturno Culto's vocals sound even more sinister reciting the Norwegian lyrics.

"Skald av Satans sol" is noticeably different from the first two songs, and yet the same. Words can hardly do justice to the brilliance contained here. The guitar work here is absolutely perfect and the vocals could not have been done better. There's even a brief solo at the end of the song, before everything fades to white noise.

"Slottet i det fjerne" is next and features the most sorrowful melodies on the whole album. The title translates to "Castle in the Distance" and the song tells the tale of blind people living in joy and peace, unknowing the dark fate that awaits them and the torment that they will soon suffer. From the grim shadows, the dark ones are consumed with hatred for these people and await the time when they shall rejoice in their pain.

"Graven tåkeheimens saler" is next and it is no less impressive than the previous song. The freezing harmonies and spiteful vocals tell a tale, written by Varg Vikernes, filled with sorrow and inspired by Norse mythology. Since he was incarcerated, Darkthrone allowed Varg to contribute lyrics to their album as a means of letting him speak from beyond, so to speak.

"I en hall med flesk og mjød" is very straightforward, yet contains one of the few changes in tempo, throughout the whole album. A slight bit of Hellhammer influence creeps in, briefly. Up until this point, their influences were much less pronounced than on A Blaze in the Northern Sky or Under A Funeral Moon. The style on Transilvanian Hunger is all Darkthrone.

The next song is very repetitive, droning and hypnotic. "As Flittermice As Satans Spys" seems to take the idea that was attempted with "Inn i de dype skogers favn" and perfected it. There is no lack of inspiration or feeling here. This song creates a lot of tension as the album is heading toward its inevitable end. The bitter cold harmonies freeze the very blood in your veins.

"Unholy he who burned the face of god...with the eye of our master."

At the end of the song is a back ward message that says, "In the name of god, let the churches burn."

"En ås i dype skogen" is one of the very best songs on this record. This one contains my favourite riffs and vocal lines on the whole album. Much like the rest of the album, the song is fast-paced. The melodies are mournful and cold. The tension from the previous song has carried over and has continued to build up to the climax of the entire album, as the song progresses. At this point, the cold steel is pressed against your flesh, waiting... just waiting. The time is near. The melody continues and the blade begins to penetrate your skin. The moment is now at hand to be released, to open your veins. A possessed scream is followed by the line:

"...ut av den dype skogen"

The blood flows from your veins and turns the snow red. The song winds down. Your spirit has been released and is now free to wander the endless depths of the forest. It's all over, and you will never be the same again...

After becoming completely obsessed with the Transilvanian Hunger cassette that I obtained, I managed to wear it out to the point where it didn't play as well. Mind you, this was no cheap copy but rather the actual cassette. As a result, I began looking for the CD version. It took a couple months to find but, in the meantime, I stumbled across Panzerfaust, making it the first official Darkthrone album that I owned on CD.

Panzerfaust was recorded in Necrohell Studio, in the early months of 1994, and was the final of the classic Darkthrone albums. While not belonging to the 'Unholy Trinity', it is certainly still part of that era. This was the first album that they released on Moonfog Records, having severed ties with Peaceville after the previous recording. The cover features Nocturno Culto in a snowy forest, with the moon in the night sky above. On the back reads the words: "Evig er krigen mot de av lyset." This translates to, "Eternal is the war against those of the light." The production is still very lo-fi and ugly, but the sound is a bit different from its predecessor, most likely due to the variation in tempo and the prominence of the vocals.

The album begins much as one would expect it to, as "En vind av sorg" would not be out of place on Transilvanian Hunger. It would seem that the band found their distinct style on that masterpiece and this would be a continuation of that brilliance. The tremolo-picked melodies are freezing cold and the drums blast away in obscurity. Yet the first thing one notices is that the vocals are much higher in the mix than before. Perhaps, they are a little too high, but this is a minor complaint. In a sense, this serves to make the song that much more harsh and unwelcoming. The mournful harmonies create an atmosphere of sorrow (appropriate, since the title translates to "The Wind of Sorrow") yet the vocals are as hateful as they are anguished. The main riff is one of the best black metal riffs ever written. As the song ends, drums and vocals fade away, leaving only the sorrowful guitar melody.

The next song, "Triumphant Gleam", came as somewhat of a shock, being total Hellhammer/Celtic Frost worship instead of following along the expected path. This is very raw and primitive black metal, yet energetic and thrashy as well. The double bass came as a bit of a surprise. As the song slows down, the dark and evil atmosphere begins to surround you, but it isn't long before the song speeds back up.

"Hordes of Nebulah" is an absolute monster. Stylistically, this owes a lot to Celtic Frost. The riffs are slow and filled with doom. Nocturno Culto's vocals are dripping with hatred and sorrow. If Hellhammer was what happened when you slow down Venom, this must be what it's like to slow down Hellhammer/Celtic Frost. However, this is not mere imitation. The presentation of the song may not be that original, but it is easily identifiable as being Darkthrone. The guitar solo, albeit brief, is eerie and adds to the overall effect. This is the kind of song that makes you want to gouge out your own heart with a rusted blade or to turn the hatred outward and annihilate all traces of life from the earth.

"Hans siste vinter" is another song that possesses the Transilvanian Hunger vibe, consisting of fast tremolo riffs and blasting drums. The mournful melody is very haunting and will freeze you to the very core of your being, turning your blood into ice and leaving you to die in the cold wastelands, covered by the falling snow. Of note is that the lyrics to this song aren't included in the insert, making me wonder if this song was just written at the last minute to fill time. Either way, it's one of the best on here.

"Beholding the Throne of Might" is another mid-paced song that some would see as a tribute to Celtic Frost. On the surface, that would appear to be an accurate conclusion. However, the spirit of Darkthrone cannot be denied. This isn't simply Celtic Frost with harsher vocals. The atmosphere being created on this album is pure Darkthrone, regardless of the style they utilize to do so.

The next song's lyrics were penned by none other than Varg Vikernes and, strangely, the song is actually similar to something that one would expect from Burzum. "Quintessence" is the most epic song ever written by Darkthrone. The atmosphere is cold and filled with doom. Nocturno Culto's vocals are filled with such anguish and utter hatred. This is one of the most inspired vocal performances in the history of black metal. Near the end, it is absolutely bone chilling as his tormented voice screams:

"Only one single lamp do show me this way, and that is... the eye of Satan...SATAN!"

This is a very cathartic experience. The main riff continues on, before a few more desperate screams signal the end and it slowly fades out. A very powerful song, on many levels.

"Snø og granskog (utferd)" sounds like something left over from Isengard, but does well to suit the atmosphere that has been created by the song preceding it. The outro features the voice of Fenriz (presumably) speaking in Norwegian.

In late 1993, Darkthrone recorded Transilvanian Hunger, to be released in the early winter months of 1994. This album saw the band reach their creative peak. This was the sound that they had been striving for. Once that classic album was finished, it became somewhat of a problem for Nocturno Culto and Fenriz. They had created a masterpiece of cold, minimalist black metal; it was untouchable, even by those that gave it birth. On the following album, they employed this style on only two songs, preferring to go the route of emulating Celtic Frost. Perhaps the creative atmosphere that surrounded the Norwegian scene, in the early '90s, faded a bit after the death of Euronymous, the imprisonment of Varg Vikernes (thus eliminating Mayhem and Burzum from the scene) and the media attention that followed. Of course, Fenriz had also been working on several projects throughout this time, so it would appear that he was running low on energy and motivation.

Total Death is the sixth full-length album from Darkthrone. It was recorded in the Ancient Spectre Ruins, in August and October 1995, and is the second album released on Moonfog Productions. There is a lot that can be said about this album. Whereas Panzerfaust did not exactly belong to the 'Unholy Trinity', it was still joined to that era. The fact that, like Transilvanian Hunger, it was recorded in Necrohell Studio helped to link them. This album, however, seems to be when Darkthrone made their first misstep. They even allowed others to write lyrics for the album. Fenriz said that this was an attempt to 'bring the scene together' but maybe it was just a lack of creativity as he was very burnt out at this point.

"Earth's Last Picture" starts things out rather strong. It is one of the most solid tracks on here. It begins with a very memorable riff that is reminiscent of Bathory, later incorporating a bit of Hellhammer / Celtic Frost worship, as well. Immediately, you notice the 'softer' production. The guitar sound is very smooth, with the bass being too audible. Nocturno Culto's vocals are actually the highlight, as the effect here is very similar to what he achieved on A Blaze in the Northern Sky. That is very fitting, as the latter half of the track sounds like something from that L.P. as well. There isn't enough treble to the recording, which makes the guitars less sharp and takes away from the cold feeling that Darkthrone is known for. This song is very mid-paced and, somewhat, relaxed throughout the first minutes. Everything then gets silent as a lone tremolo riff cuts through the darkness, accompanied by faster drums from Fenriz. The riff has a sorrowful quality and the vocals really add to this feeling. This is actually quite a good song despite the weak production.

"Blackwinged" is another song that shows an increased level of diversity in riffs and tempos. It possesses a good amount of faster melodies, but still retains an obvious Celtic Frost influence as well. This is another one of the better songs on here and had it been recorded on one of the previous albums it would have sounded even better. There is nothing, at all, raw about the sound found on this album.

The next song is "Gather For Attack on the Pearly Gates". This features the minimalist drumming and fast tremolo riffs that Darkthrone came to be known for. Nocturno Culto's vocals are incredibly flawless (probably the best thing about the whole album). The riffs are cold and grim, and this would easily fit on Transilvanian Hunger. Material like this was simply begging for more of a raw sound. Even the volume is too low, which is quite odd. This would sound much more appropriate with more treble and less bass. The faster Bathory-inspired riffs are interrupted by brief sections that are reminiscent of Hellhammer, adding another dimension to the overall sound. Thankfully, this element was not expanded in any way as to detract from the primary guitar harmonies.

"Black Victory of Death" is the band's first foray into the black n' roll style. This seems kind of out of place, belonging more to a release like Satanic Rites or Apocalyptic Raids, which is not most people were wanting from Fenriz and Nocturno Culto, at this point. The percussion is uninspired and this song is rather boring. They did much better tributes to Celtic Frost, in previous years, with songs like "In the Shadow of the Horns" and "The Hordes of Nebulah". It's not awful, but it is incredibly weak compared to almost eveything they'd done up until this point.

The next song is "Majestic Desolate Eye", one of the more boring tracks on here. The second half of the album was recorded during a different session and, amazingly, the production is even worse for these songs. The inconsistency is not limited to the sound, but also characterizes much of the music. After a minute or so, things speed up, though the atmosphere is still a bit off for Darkthrone. Some of the riffs sound similar to those found on Onslaught's Power from Hell. This song is mediocre, at best, and really does no favours for this album. Thankfully, this song is pretty short.

"Blasphemer" is yet another song that does not really belong here. Material like this gives Total Death more the feeling of being a collection of tunes, rather than a cohesive album. It is not all that bad, but this would fit better on an Aura Noir album. This is pure thrash, owing much more to Destruction than to the band's typical influences. This might not sound so horrible, yet the awful production drains this of energy. This could not sound less threatening than it does. Maybe, with the same production as Kreator's Endless Pain, this would be a decent black/thrash song though even Fenriz has later stated that he just wasn't very good at writing thrash riffs.

"Ravnajuv" is the highlight of this album. Truly, if this had been recorded at Necrohell, it would have fit in quite well with the material on Transilvanian Hunger or maybe better on Panzerfaust. This is the only song on the album to feature Norwegian lyrics. The freezing cold tremolo melodies embrace you in the darkest night. There is a really gloomy feeling that is conveyed by the guitar harmonies in this song, something that is largely absent throughout the rest of the album. The drumming is perfectly done, with Fenriz remembering that less is more. Nocturno Culto's vocals sound absolutely perfect. The version found on Moonfog's Crusade from the North compilation sounds slightly better, due to minor differences in mixing, though.

The album ends, mercifully, with "The Serpents Harvest". This begins with slower riffs that possess the type of nasty sound heard on some old Mayhem tracks, just with more of a doom feel. After a minute or so, the tempo picks up and sounds like something from Bathory's The Return..., but not executed nearly as well. Everything from the guitars to the drumming gives the feeling that you have traveled back to 1985. About halfway through the track, a sorrowful tremolo melody is introduced, with faster percussion underneath. This riff would have been better saved for another song as it is completely out of place, here. The slower riffs returns, after a minute or two, but the song has lost its reason by this point. Even the better parts of this one are rather dull and pointless.

Total Death is an album that was ruined by horridly weak production and inconsistent songwriting. It is clear that these guys were burnt-out and needed some time to regroup. This really should have been an E.P. if anything, with "Earth's Last Picture", "Blackwinged", "Gather for Attack on the Pearly Gates", and "Ravnajuv". The other four tracks are negligible. This is definitely one of the weaker albums Darkthrone ever recorded and yet it cannot be avoided since there are some very good songs among the rubbish.

What we all know as the Goatlord album is basically a rehearsal tape of the material planned for Darkthrone's second full-length. Recorded in 1991, this followed the path started with Soulside Journey, and one can only speculate how the finished product would have sounded. Obviously, it would have featured a more professional production and would lack the raw feeling that this has. However, this never happened. After the release of Soulside Journey, and as they were working on these songs, three of the four members of Darkthrone seemed to be truly inspired by the old black metal albums of Bathory and Hellhammer, among others. They had also developed some sort of friendship with the guys in Mayhem, most notably, Euronymous. As it turned out, they decided that the Goatlord material did not represent their true musical passions and it was scrapped. Instead, they regressed to the primitive sound of old school black metal and the underground was soon shocked with the arrival of A Blaze in the Northern Sky.

In the meantime, the Goatlord rehearsal sat on the shelf, collecting dust. Fast forward to 1994, during a time when Fenriz was extremely prolific, participating in several projects and working on his own quite a bit. With frequent access to Necrohell studio, he decided to take this aborted album and to add vocals to it. Even still, it remained unheard for quite some time, finally seeing the light of day in late 1996 when it was released on Moonfog records. Popular opinion seems to be that this was some sort of cash grab for Darkthrone or Satyr, yet this view is completely ridiculous. If Darkthrone had ever been a band that existed in order to make money, they would not have abandoned death metal during a time when it was popular and trendy. They certainly would not have embraced the lo-fi necro sounds of '80s black metal at a point in time when no one really cared for or understood this. As well, once this did catch on, they would have taken all of the countless offers to play live and to be paid accordingly. Simply put, there was something about this music that appealed to Nocturno Culto and Fenriz, imbuing them with the feeling that it was deserving of an official release for those that would appreciate it. It was likely that they knew it would meet with some criticism, especially when one considers that, in 1996, Darkthrone still possessed quite a bit of mystique and had just released several of the best black metal albums to ever be recorded. It was a brazen move, to go back and embrace their past, after spending some years distancing themselves from it.

Regarding the actual songwriting, this is really all over the place. At times, it seems rather complex and difficult to follow, as there are hardly any recognizable structures. Rhythms change often and suddenly, sometimes giving the songs a rather random and improvised feeling, even though the band was rehearsing all the time back then. There is of course an overly technical death metal vibe, with Fenriz going against what the music called for and playing with a rather hyperactive style that was not always necessary. It is a good thing that he went on to learn what so many other drummers fail to, that showing off does nothing for the overall product and is often detrimental to the music. Nevertheless, what one finds with Goatlord is that Darkthrone has always been a band that puts the guitar riff first and foremost, and this album is dripping with an utter dark feeling that is conveyed by the brilliant riffs. It is too bad that the songwriting suffers from poor organization. In some cases, there is too much going on within the tracks; so many great riffs pass through, briefly, when whole songs could have been built around some of them. There are a number of melodies that would not have been out of place on an old '80s black/death release, mixed in with other riffs that are totally possessed with a feeling of total doom. One can clearly hear influences from the likes of Autopsy and of course Celtic Frost, as usual. Also present, as on Soulside Journey, are the trademark tremolo melodies that Darkthrone would become famous for, during their classic years. Though the songs are mostly mid-paced and shift gears frequently, there are occasional fast riffs with blast beats. However, these are forgettable when compared to the really slow riffs, which are much more memorable. The band could have, easily, moved on to make a form of black/doom, had they wanted to. The only complaint is that the slower sections would have benefited from less over-the-top drum work. Regardless, there is no denying the absolutely gloomy feeling of this material. There are points here where you can really hear the beginning of the transition from Soulside Journey to A Blaze in the Northern Sky. Still, they had not yet gone into the realm of cold and grim atmospheres, despite the incomprehensibly eerie feeling that this possesses.

As for the sound, the darkness of Goatlord is somewhat derived from the fact that it has such an unprofessional sound. The fact that it is a rehearsal recording lends a raw and old school feeling that only adds to the hellish vibe. For a rehearsal, this actually sounds very good. Often, the low-end would dominate everything else, yet the riffs cut through with a sharp clarity that one would not fully expect. Compared to the instrumental version, it seems that a bit of treble has been added here, which was a really good move. The overall impression is still kind of muddy, but the guitars rise from this murkiness and slice right into you, when necessary. The vocals are a little high in the mix, similar to Panzerfaust, but not to the extent that it becomes a problem. Due to the general raw and under-produced sound, Fenriz's harsh and unrestrained vocal performance really seems to fit far more than what Nocturno Culto would likely have done if the album had been recorded as planned, back in 1991. It would be natural to guess that he would have utilized a style similar to that of the debut record, which is hard to even imagine while listening to this.

Speaking of the vocals, regardless of what anyone may think, Fenriz totally makes this album with his vocals. This may be one of the hardest parts of the album to digest. I know that, the first time I heard this, I could hardly understand what the hell I was listening to and thought it was bloody horrible. I refused to bother with this for a couple years, honestly. However, once I decided to give it another chance, the vocals grew on me. Of course, one would never have expected to hear Fenriz doing his best King Diamond impersonation and, upon first listen, I thought they'd brought in some useless whore to sing on the album as so many other bands had done. Yet somehow, when I later returned to Goatlord, it was so clear what he was going for and I was able to appreciate it. He shows quite a bit of range, compared to what one might expect, with some deeper and throatier voices coming and going, though mostly sticking with the sort of hellish and raspy sound as heard on Isengard's Høstmørke. He also makes good use of rather sinister whispering and tortured wails. In truth, this may be the most brilliant vocal work that Fenriz ever did. Overall, his performance is so over-the-top and even theatrical that it really brings the music to life and adds a lot to the atmosphere, in a way that Nocturno Culto probably could not have done, at this point. Without the great effort put into the vocals, this album would have been rather flat and lacked the eerie and nightmarish vibe that it is known for.

The most important thing to do when approaching Goatlord for the first time is to keep an open mind. It is such a unique album, not only within Darkthrone's catalogue, but just in general. I have never encountered anything else remotely like this. It would be easy to say that, if you are a fan of Soulside Journey, then the music presented here will likely appeal to you. Yet it is not so simple, as the vocals really make this a completely different beast. At any rate, it really does work well as the missing link between the debut L.P. and A Blaze in the Northern Sky, while also venturing into territory that few others ever have. This may not be for everyone, not even all Darkthrone fans, yet it is highly recommended for anyone with a true passion for dark and hellish music. Even if you don't get it at first, be patient. It will definitely grow on you.

For a band with the longevity of Darkthrone, and such ties to the '80s, it would only be appropriate that their material has been the subject of various bootlegs over the years. As is the case with their countrymen, Mayhem, just about any random recording done by Darkthrone has been subsequently bootlegged a dozen or so times. This particular bootleg, A Night of Unholy Black Metal, seems to have turned up in the mid-to-late '90s, with dates ranging from late 1996 to some point in 1998. Whatever the case may be, it appears to have emerged during the band's downtime, between Total Death and Ravishing Grimness. This is an interesting collection, as it features material from a few distinct periods in the band's history.

The first chapter consists of five songs that were taken from a live performance from 6 April 1996, in Oslo, Norway. This was from a gig that also featured Dissection and Satyricon, with Satyr actually playing bass for Darkthrone. It would seem that, from early on, he was playing a supporting role for the band. For such a brief set, the band still managed to cover most of their albums, though they played nothing from Panzerfaust. Maybe, they were eager to play something newer, which is why they included "Blackwinged", but "Quintessence" would have been a better choice. Nocturno Culto and Fenriz were certainly more into the dark atmosphere of their black metal days, as the set begins with the chiming of a funeral bell and video of the gig shows that they had torches on the stage. This may have been a few years too late to possess the same cult feeling of the old Mayhem shows with Dead, but the atmosphere is similar. The sound quality is not the greatest, with some hissing and a lack of clarity, but it suits the music in a way. The bass is surely loud enough, sometimes coming through a little too well. For anyone that is familiar with these songs, this recording is not difficult to follow, at all. One might even say that "Under A Funeral Moon" and "Transilvanian Hunger" are not too far below the studio versions, in terms of quality, though that would probably be going too far. "Blackwinged" is a little hard to get into, as the bass blocks out the guitar, and you can even hear a couple guys in the crowd talking, fairly clearly. All in all, the set does well to capture the old black metal feeling. A shame that is was so short.

The next part features a live recording taken from a gig in Finland, back in 1991. The sound is pretty terrible, with the drums overpowering the rest and being a bit of a pain on the ear. The songs are hardly formed, as well, making the show feel kind of awkward. Apparently, Nocturno Culto wasn't feeling too well, so the songs practically became instrumentals, though one has to wonder how fully developed they were anyway. "Paragon Belial" and "A Blaze in the Northern Sky" were far from the versions that would appear on A Blaze in the Northern Sky, with more of a death/doom feeling, as a matter of fact. The other two songs were works in progress for the then-upcoming Goatlord record. They sound rather directionless, with far too much activity behind the drum kit and not enough atmosphere. The bad recording doesn't help matters, either. The most interesting thing about this part of the collection is likely Fenriz's stage banter.

The final chapter of A Night of Unholy Black Metal actually takes the listener back to the sort of atmosphere that was present at the beginning, with a handful of rehearsal tracks from 1992. Nocturno Culto has made no secret that this period of the band's existence holds special memories for him and has often cited Darkthrone's time as a three-piece as passing far too quickly. Back then, they were uninterested in playing live and even recording albums was less important than gathering and rehearsing the material, over and over, in what amounted to primitive black metal rituals. The sound quality is not the best, but it is not terribly inferior to the studio versions of these songs as heard on Under A Funeral Moon. The playing is very tight and one can tell that these guys knew the songs well, inside and out. The vocals are difficult to hear, at times, but this is remedied for the last two songs, as they are instrumentals. While not sounding as good as the band's third full-length, the same morbid atmosphere is definitely present.

A Night of Unholy Black Metal is certainly worth getting, if you ever run across it. While the tracks from the '91 gig are rather useless, the '96 Oslo show and the '92 rehearsal are rather meaningful pieces of Darkthrone's history and of the early Norwegian black metal scene, itself. Though this style and atmosphere is still seen as being very important to Fenriz and Nocturno Culto, they have long since moved on, making albums like this all the more valuable to those that have an appreciation for this music.

By the mid-'90s, the members of Darkthrone appeared to be very much burned out on creating music. Fenriz, in particular, had been associated with a variety of projects and seemed worn out. After the disappointing release of Total Death, in 1996, it looked like Darkthrone was history. Yet, a couple years later, they reappeared. They also began doing a great number of interviews, which was quite rare for them. It was around this time that they decided to begin the process of killing off the mystique that had surrounded the band for so many years. Many were shocked as Fenriz even went so far as to display that he had a sense of humour in these interviews. It also appeared that, by this time, the band members were quite aware of the impact that they had on the black metal scene. One could speculate that this consciousness had some influence on their decision to alter the sound, to the extent that they did. While the previous album was extremely flawed and paled in comparison to the earlier ones, it was Ravishing Grimness that ushered in the second era of Darkthrone.

Released in March 1999, Ravishing Grimness was born into a musical world where black metal had seen some severe changes. The cookie-cutter symphonic bands, busy ripping off Emperor and Satyricon, were everywhere. Record labels, such as Metal Blade and Nuclear Blast, were signing them as quickly as they could in an effort to cash in on the new trend. It was a foul time for black metal purists. However, that isn't to say that the art form was totally dead; the real black metal bands were simply laying low. They were a little harder to find, for the most part, but they were still there. Darkthrone became the symbol of the old guard rearing its ugly head to show the world what real grim and nasty black metal was all about. It's quite unfortunate that the album was much more mediocre than expected.

"Lifeless" starts with some strange sound effect before the song really begins. Immediately, there is a problem. Nocturno Culto has stated, in later interviews, that he didn't approve of the slower drumming style that Fenriz utilized on some songs, as he meant for these to be a lot faster. One can easily imagine the main riff from this song fitting onto one of the older albums, if only Fenriz has sped up the drums. There was still room for the slower section, but he certainly ruined the earlier part by being lazy behind the kit. The sound effects that began the track occur again, only irritating the listener. The slower section does have an ugly and grim feeling. The title of the album is certainly dead on. However, one gets the feeling that it could have been better. Vocally, Nocturno Culto does a bloody good job of maintaining the dark and evil feeling he is known for, being one of the highlights of the record. Again, near the end, the drums kill the feeling of the song. It does speed up, but not in the manner that one might expect Nocturno Culto had in mind when he sent Fenriz these riffs. Had the opening and closing moments of the song featured a faster beat, reminiscent of "Natassja in Eternal Sleep" or "Transilvanian Hunger", it would have sounded more natural and been more pleasing to the ear.

The next song is "The Beast", which takes a completely different approach and takes a sharp left turn with regard to atmosphere. In fact, there really is none. This is pure Hellhammer worship, which clearly marks it as one of Fenriz's songs. The concept of each member bringing songs to the table and neither being able to veto the inclusion of certain material seems to fail, here, as this really does not fit in with the rest and would be better suited for a Motörhead record than for Darkthrone. The song isn't horrible, just that it does not fit the overall mood of this album. Still, one has to respect the band for keeping true to its old school roots, rather than following the trends that were popular at the time. Later in the song, there is a bit of Celtic Frost influence, but not done quite as well as in the past, on songs like "In the Shadow of the Horns" and "The Hordes of Nebulah".

"The Claws of Time" is another strong example of Fenriz ruining the song with his lazy drumming approach. For whatever reason, there was a disconnect between the two members, as Nocturno Culto has made it obvious that it was only after this album that he began to insist on certain drumming speeds for the riffs he created. At this point, they weren't even rehearsing together, so it's no surprise that some things fell victim to miscommunication. The main riff is incredibly mournful and the best of the entire album, but it lacks any punch since Fenriz is asleep behind the drum kit. This riff would not be out of place on Transilvanian Hunger or Panzerfaust, had not Mr. Nagell been trying out different things. As it is, the song isn't bad; the problem is that one can tell that it had the potential to be much better. This is only made worse by Nocturno Culto's later admission. The song does drag on, having a few less impressive riffs tossed in as well. Despite its drawbacks, this is one of the better tunes on the album and does well to convey a dark and miserable atmosphere.

Next up is "Across the Vacuum", which starts out with a riff that one might attribute to Fenriz, but it seems Nocturno Culto had also given a few extra listens to Apocalyptic Raids, prior to writing this material, allowing it to seep into the songwriting a bit. However, this is actually a rather dynamic track, with a lot of variation in the riffs. Some of the guitar melodies are really good, actually, though the cleaner production works against them, somewhat. Fenriz almost foreshadows the Bathory influence that appears later in the song with the more primitive drumming utilized, here. In fact, there are a couple different riffs that hearken back to the classic days of Bathory, with the faster part reminding the listener of 1985 though failing to match the glory of The Return...

"Ravishing Grimness" is the best song on the album, by far. Again, it opens with a fast tremolo riff that would have been better accentuated with a different drum beat, but it actually transitions into the next riff better this way. Though one could argue that the next riff would also have benefited from a faster drum beat, but it all works out a lot better on this song and is sort of reminiscent of early Burzum with its more simplistic approach. Once one gives up the hope that they will revert to the formula used on Transilvanian Hunger, this is quite enjoyable. The tremolo melodies are very memorable, Nocturno Culto's vocals are just right and the whole track is very cohesive. About half-way through, it slows down and one gets the feeling of being dragged into the endless graveyard. The funeral bell chimes in the distance, adding to the morbid atmosphere. Corpses rise from their graves, tearing at your limbs as the moon casts its pale light down on this grim spectacle. This is followed by another Bathory-inspired riff, maintaining the gloomy feeling. The pace then speeds back up, as the main riff returns. This one song is worth the price of the album, as it truly lives up to its title.

The album ends with "To the Death (Under the King)", which is a faster-paced song with a total old Bathory vibe. The drumming is a little awkward, at times, not fully matching the guitar riffs. The more primitive battery turns out to be much more suiting than some of the other choices. Nonetheless, this is one of the better songs on the album, though it would have worked better with more of a necro production. This song is also the only one to feature any Norwegian lyrics, albeit only one line. Finally, near the end of the track, the drumming picks up and they end on a riff that is more reminiscent of Under A Funeral Moon or Transilvanian Hunger.

Ravishing Grimness is not only the rebirth of Darkthrone, in a sense, it also represents a lengthy period of transition for the band. While Nocturno Culto was content to continue writing riffs that would have suited the earlier output of the band, Fenriz was determined to slow things down and drown this creativity with conflicting influences. This album is similar to Total Death in the sense that they both exhibit moments where they could have improved and given us something spectacular, only to come up short. Overall, the record possesses several nice riffs, but they're rarely realized to their full potential due to the ill-conceived percussion. With that said, the title track is very good and worth a listen.

2001 was a dark period for real black metal. The trendy symphonic bands had claimed most of the attention from labels and fans alike and those bands that were attempting to keep true black metal alive were forced deeper underground. The truth of the matter is that most bands were trying to jump on the synth bandwagon and abandoning the core values of this music, while the few that did their best to keep the flame burning were doing a poor job. Nocturno Culto and Fenriz were in an odd position, by this point. They did not wish to join the masses, yet their own trademark sound had been stolen and the underground was being flooded with sub-par clones. Not quite ready to make a huge musical shift, and already reeling from the fact that the two previous records were not well-received, Darkthrone made a safe record that was not too similar to the early output yet contained no real signs of change or experimentation.

Plaguewielder is the ninth studio album from this Norwegian band and it is rather mediocre compared to most of their releases, though still being a few steps ahead of Total Death and Ravishing Grimness. Naturally, it does not compare with the "Unholy Trinity" of A Blaze In the Northern Sky, Under A Funeral Moon and Transilvanian Hunger. As a matter of fact, it isn't even up there with Panzerfaust, but it is the best of Darkthrone's mid-period and the last one to be recorded in this style before they began the major shift in sound.

The album begins with an intro that hearkens back to their first black metal record, soon followed by the type of sound that fans had come to expect from the band by then. The opening tremolo riff is accompanied by more of Fenriz's sloppy drumming, as seen on the previous album. Thankfully, he wakes up after a minute or so and the song sounds a bit more appropriate. The variation in the drumming adds a new dynamic, and may have been done for the sake of not sounding like the old stuff, but most would agree that the songs were clearly written to be faster. The same thing occurred on the last album, with Fenriz choosing drumming patterns that went against what Nocturno Culto had in mind for the songs. A slower section arrives, around the middle of the song, and doesn't do much to add to the atmosphere. While containing some of the better riffs on the album, "Weakling Avenger" is a little too long and needed the more primitive style of drumming that was present on the band's classic releases. It's not bad, but it could use improvement.

The next song is "Raining Murder", and it begins with another decent tremolo riff that is joined by some rather boring drum-work. After a minute, the drumming shifts and then compliments the guitar melodies a lot more. Unfortunately, there are some effects added to the song that only serve to create more noise and distract from the riffs. One cannot be certain, but it would really seem that, by this point, Nocturno Culto was doing his best to keep the band alive while Fenriz was rather apathetic and doing his best to create a feeling of mediocrity. He was clearly bored with the type of music that they had been making but wasn't ready to move forward yet. As the song progresses, there is a mid-paced section that actually fits in in rather well. As it nears its conclusion, the pace slows down even more, giving a feeling of dreariness and doom.

"Sin Origin" shifts gears and goes right into Hellhammer-mode, which somewhat kills the flow of the album. For one reason or another, most bands fail to remain interesting when they aim to rip off Hellhammer / Celtic Frost. While they succeeded in doing this on Panzerfaust, it simply isn't as good this time around. With the two previous songs containing slower and mid-paced sections, the last thing that was needed at this juncture was another plodding tune. The track is excessively long as well, though the ending riffs create an uneasy feeling and are a worthy addition to the record.

This is followed by "Command", which is another mid-paced song. It definitely would have benefited from being preceded by a faster and shorter track. Despite this, it is actually one of the more impressive songs on the album. The slower riffs are dismal while the fast sections do well to create a sense of tension and this is one of the few times where the dynamic range of the songwriting is actually a positive thing. This is one of the most impassioned vocal performances of Nocturno Culto's career. Everything slows down in the middle, leading to a new riff that introduces incredibly fierce screams that are absolutely inhuman. The drumming that follows is a clear sign that the punk vibes were always present in Darkthrone's music, just not as overt as they would be in later years. The song is repetitive at times, and could be slightly shorter, but is the best track on the album.

"I, Voidhanger" opens with some odds riffs and odd timing. About halfway through, the pace picks up and resembles something more normal for a Darkthrone record. Like most of the other tracks, this one sounds over-analyzed and goes on a little longer than it should.

Plaguewielder ends with "Wreak", which clocks in over nine minutes in length. It starts out with a catchy riff that soon transitions to something faster. The shift is a little unnatural and one gets the sense that the riffs were kind of thrown-together. The production of this album is not as raw as most fans would have liked, and that may have contributed to the negative impression that it left on many listeners. Much like the cover artwork, the production is too organic and lively. A cold, minimalist approach would have really suited these songs much better, as well as removing some of the unnecessary parts. The final song really drags until the four-minute mark, when a brilliant tremolo riff finally breaks free from the stagnation and reminds one of the glory of Transilvanian Hunger. Has this track been stripped down and only the best riffs left, along with a production job more similar to the Necrohell sound of the past, this would have turned out much better. The song plods along for another couple of minutes before the mournful tremolo melody returns, accompanied by the correct style of drumming, which creates a sorrowful atmosphere and also imbues the listener with a sense of disappointment, seeing how great this could have been.

Darkthrone's mid-period was a sad thing to behold. Total Death was completely neutered by the dull production job and the random song arrangements. Ravishing Grimness was killed by more awful production and incoherent songwriting (with the two members working against one another, rather than together). Plaguewielder was lambasted from the beginning for the colourful cover art alone, but the music is not as awful as many would claim it is, though it does clearly show that the band had no clue what exactly they wanted to do. It would appear that Fenriz was ready to move on to something else, while Nocturno Culto wanted to keep some connection with their old style. The Hellhammer influence was a little too noticeable on this album (as with the one before), though one could almost sense some inspiration from Burzum and even their own earlier works. While there are a few really good riffs and a couple decent songs, this record could have been so much more. It would take the band several more years to work out their creative problems and finally make the transition to what they are doing now, but the path was a painful one.

This is not recommended for anyone new to the band; however, die-hard Darkthrone fans should give it a listen and judge for themselves. If possible, adjust the stereo with the bass all the way down and the treble on high and it will nearly sound like it came from Necrohell. This isn't a great album, but it contains some good riffs that are worth hearing and it is certainly more enjoyable than some of their other offerings from this era.

Hate Them is the tenth studio album from Darkthrone. Recorded and mixed at Pan lydstudio in 26 hours, during December 2002, it was released in March 2003 on Moonfog Records. This album marks the return to a more stripped-down sound, compared to Total Death, Ravishing Grimness or Plaguewielder, the latter being filled with several good ideas but being quite underrated due to the colorful artwork and the higher quality production. Hate Them can be seen as a bit of regression, back to a more raw and primitive sound. There was also a conscious effort to distance themselves from some of the criticisms received for the cover art of the previous album. All of their energy was well spent as they created the most raw and old school album since 1995's Panzerfaust. It's a shame that this wasn't released in 1996, as it seemed they simply went through the motions since then, with a few exceptions.

I was eagerly awaiting the release of this album, as I was still in an optimistic phase where I continually expected some bands to return to their previous glory. In this case, I wasn't too disappointed. I didn't get exactly what I wanted, but it was enjoyable in a different way. I picked this up, a few months later, at a record store in Stockholm. I'd already heard "Striving For A Piece of Lucifer", on my friend's rado program, so I was somewhat aware of what I was getting into. At that point, I was just satisfied to get another slab of ugly, primitive black metal from Darkthrone.

The album begins with a fairly useless intro, which doesn't really add anything to the song. "Rust" finally starts almost a minute in. From the first moments, a deadly cold atmosphere overtakes you. The dissonant open-arpeggio riffs create a desolate aura that is primitive and grim. As the drums kick in, the song moves along at a slow pace, with the raw guitars and rumbling bass providing the background for Nocturno Culto's hateful and misanthropic vocals. This feeling isn't very far from that present on Under A Funeral Moon, in a sense. As the song progresses, it gradually picks up speed and one can hear influences from the first Bathory album. A little past the half-way point, the trademark Darkthrone sound is unleashed, complete with tremolo riffs and pounding drums. Trash the worthless intro and alter the weak lyrics to match those of the old days, and this wouldn't have been too out of place on A Blaze in the Northern Sky. It's certainly one of the strongest songs on here, and a good way to start out the album.

"Det svartner nå" bears more of an up-beat tempo, returning to the Hellhammer/Celtic Frost style that they so often pay tribute to. It's not as bad here as on Ravishing Grimness, thanks to the more primitive production. The hideous sound and vicious vocal delivery really help and, somehow, the strong rock vibe isn't so out of place. On the last couple of albums, this type of song would have stuck out a bit more, and not in a good way, but it seems to really fit in well and to add something to the overall feel of the record. The song ends with a riff that is completely reminiscent of Motörhead.

The next song is "Fucked Up and Ready To Die". It's the shortest track on the album, but definitely one of the most memorable. It begins with the fast-paced drums and tremolo riffs, sounding like a typical Darkthrone song. The atmosphere is much more gloomy than on the previous song. It utilizes a variety of tempos, going from fast to mid-paced and then slowing down even more with a bleak doom riff, giving a morbid and hateful feeling. Things speed up again with a punk/metal approach, as the song reaches the end, and Nocturno Culto's vocals really convey a sense of hatred for life.

"Death just takes a moment,
Suffering is forever"

"Ytterst i livet" is one of two songs with a Norwegian title, though it's the only song to have absolutely no English lyrics at all. It's fairly mid-paced and uneventful. It speeds up, later on, but the song is still kind of average. Some of the transitions are a bit sudden. This, by no means, should be taken as an indication that it's bad; it's simply not one of the songs that jumps out at me. It's still a decent song, quite superior to most of what they'd release on subsequent albums.

This is followed by "Divided We Stand". At this point, it's probably evident that Fenriz has long since lost his ability to write the Satanic poetry of the past. His style is interesting, at times, but it can also be tiresome. Musically, the song features a nice tremolo riff, but with a complete death metal feeling, and has a little more energy than the previous song. The first minute is rather fast-paced (for this album), but it soon slows down. The tempo continues to alternate throughout, as this is quite a dynamic song. There are some interesting (almost mournful) melodies to be found here and, while it's not the greatest song on the record, it's very solid. The d-beat section at the end is quite memorable, as well. With death, black and speed metal riffs, mixed with a bit of Punk Rock, one can tell that the band was really loosening up at this stage of their career.

"Striving For A Piece of Lucifer" was the first song that I heard from this album, and it remains my favourite one. It erupts with a catchy riff, reminiscent of old Burzum, along with some double bass thundering underneath it. The riffing style is interesting and quite different from a lot of their earlier work. Either way, it's memorable and it works. It does contain more of a blackened rock feeling, at times, but it's ugly and primitive-sounding. One can really hear that Fenriz and Nocturno Culto seem to be more inspired and to have more energy on this album, compared to the previous few, as there is a certain liveliness that is present in the execution of these songs that was lacking for a few years. It really seems that the band had regressed, in some ways, as this is classic black metal that doesn't seem to have anything in common with whatever else was going in, this year.

The album concludes with "In Honour of Thy Name", which starts out with something more akin to the classic sound of old. This is mixed in with the catchier, almost punk-like sections. I guess that's fitting, as this album was kind of the beginning of the more recent stage of their career. This is absolutely dripping with a primitive, old school atmosphere. There's also an old school Celtic Frost riff thrown in, for good measure. It serves to slow things down, briefly, and adds a darker feel to the track. The song speeds up again, before giving way to a pointless outro that is similar to the intro of the album. It's definitely got nothing on the intro/outro used on A Blaze in the Northern Sky, or even the intro from Plaguewielder, for that matter.

Hate Them isn't a return to the classic era of Darkthrone, yet it hearkens back to those days in its own way, going for an uglier and more primitive sound. This record actually marks the beginning of the band's modern phase, though many think that came later with The Cult Is Alive. It is here where they showed a sharp change in attitude, no longer giving a damn what anyone thought of them and just playing what they felt. While two of the songs are rather mediocre, the rest are actually pretty good so long as you're not expecting to hear the second coming of Transilvanian Hunger. If you open your mind and accept it for what it is (a solid, old school-sounding record) then you'll certainly get your money's worth.

Released in September 2004, Sardonic Wrath marked the end of an era for Darkthrone. Not only was this their final record on Moonfog Productions, but it was their last black metal offering before descending into something hardly recognizable. Though I had looked forward to it, there was a disconnect between my expectations and the reality of the band’s tenth studio album. It took quite a while for things to really click.

The production is harsh and trebly, giving the album an abrasive edge, like a cheese grater to the face. The drums are sharp and violent, often cutting through the guitars, which adds to the overall intensity, and the slightly high mix makes the percussion feel relentless. The guitars themselves are raw, like a storm of serrated blades. The bass, however, has a warm fuzz to it, reminiscent of Under a Funeral Moon, which adds to the grim, old-school feeling.

The album picks up where Hate Them left off, but it’s even more intense. From the opening moments of “Information Wants to Be Syndicated,” it feels like being decapitated with a rusty hacksaw. The songwriting is dynamic enough, though still primitive overall. One can hear influences from the likes of Bathory, Autopsy, Master, and Hellhammer. While many bands at the time were becoming increasingly modernized, Darkthrone continued to devolve, sinking deeper into the sounds of the ’80s underground. Vocally, Nocturno Culto sounds consumed with hatred, which suits the vicious nature of the material.

Tracks such as "Straightening Sharks in Heaven" and "Sacrificing to the God of Doubt" include slower moments that convey a cold and morbid feeling. One can easily tell who wrote each song. Nocturno Culto’s material leans more toward pure black and death metal, while Fenriz is responsible for the more upbeat, rock-oriented rhythms inspired by his love for Tom Warrior. On “Hate Is the Law”, he even seems to nod to former member Zephyrous, whose “Inn i de dype skogers favn” was always a favorite of his, but the fast and trance-like sound eventually transitions into something more akin to Motörhead.

The closer, “Rawness Obsolete”, is the best song on the album. It appears to have been added after the initial recording session, likely due to the album’s brevity. The lyrics are absent from the booklet, similar to “Hans siste vinter” on Panzerfaust, and the sound is noticeably different from the rest of the record, more organic, with a more distorted bass. The track is very reminiscent of “The Dance of Eternal Shadows” from Under a Funeral Moon, sharing the same morbid, funereal atmosphere.

The main weakness of the album lies in the lyrics and song titles. At some point in the late ’90s, Fenriz simply lost it, abandoning his earlier approach for something more mundane and often awkward, which undermines the atmosphere. Tracks like “Straightening Sharks in Heaven” and “Sacrificing to the God of Doubt” still contain slower moments that convey a cold, morbid feeling, but the lyrical choices frequently work against the music.

In the end, Sardonic Wrath is a solid record built on primitive, straightforward songwriting and a clear devotion to the underground sounds of the ’80s and early ’90s. It may not stand among Darkthrone’s more iconic releases, but it remains a worthy entry in their discography when judged on its own terms.

Released in October 2008, Dark Thrones and Black Flags is the strongest Darkthrone record in years. While the previous couple were almost entirely worthless, they made some much-needed improvements this time around. The goofiness is toned down and more effort goes into a serious atmosphere. It was recorded and produced by the band themselves in their own Necrohell II studio, resulting in a stipped-down, organic sound. The overall style is a mixture of black, thrash, doom and heavy metal, with some punk influence, all firmly rooted in the '80s.

Nocturno Culto’s songwriting is what really stands out here. "Death of All Oaths (Oath Minus)" opens with a nasty thrash riff and later moves into a slow doom section that could have fit on Soulside Journey or Goatlord. "Norway in September" unleashes a feeling of dread, with cold tremolo riffs weaving through your mind and the guitar wailing in agony. Briefly otherworldly tremolo passages create a creepy effect, and the song never lingers unnecessarily. These moments are among the band’s strongest compositions and feature the most consistent dark atmosphere in some time.

Fenriz’s less serious, homage-driven material is more uneven. Some of his tracks, like "Hiking Metal Punks", start off weak, with awkward vocals and pointless lyrics, but the riffs in the latter half at least salvage them. Even the title track, an instrumental, shows he can write a dark, doomy passage that proves he’s capable of better when he tries. "Witch Ghetto" is one of his more successful Hellhammer-inspired tracks, far less dull than earlier attempts. His contributions rarely manage to reach the same level of gloom as Nocturno Culto's material, though they're decent enough (with the exception of the unlistenable "Hanging out in Haiger").

The vocals are a weak point on this album. Nocturno Culto is the lesser of two evils, having shifted from his raspy black metal style to more of an '80s death/thrash approach. It seems to be a conscious decision, and the result is inferior to what he did in earlier years, but not awful and definitely not enough to detract from the great riffs that dominate this record. Fenriz, on the other hand, is far more cringe-inducing. He sounds unserious, almost like he’s just having fun. His clean vocals, especially on the first track, are off-putting at first, though they grow on you after a while. Beyond that, much of Fenriz’s vocal work is just horrible and rather infuriating since he is capable of much better. Nevertheless, the music makes up for this for the most part.

Though flawed, Dark Thrones and Black Flags is a solid album. It features many great '80s-inspired riffs and, for the first time in ages, Darkthrone actually made an effort to conjure a gloomy, dismal atmosphere, here and there. Such moments hearken back to the band's past and are enough to make this their first worthwhile release since Sardonic Wrath. While many may have written these guys off, myself included, this is certainly worth a listen.

Released in April 2010, Circle the Wagons picks up from where Dark Thrones and Black Flags left off. The more overt punk influences continued to lessen, resulting in music constructed mostly from '80s heavy/speed metal. Several of the melodies would not feel too out of place on an old NWOBHM release. Recorded at Necrohell II, the production is rough but organic, an intentional middle finger to everything modern, and well-suited to the material.

There are strong riffs throughout the record. At times, particularly in some of Nocturno Culto’s darker passages, a gloomy feeling still surfaces on tracks like "Stylized Corpse" and "Black Mountain Totem". His songs feel more serious and feature some of the nastier riffs, preserving a link to the band’s past. Meanwhile, Fenriz's material deliberately distances itself from the darker and more intense aura of their '90s work, instead leaning toward a more rocking and upbeat approach. The exception is "Bränn inte slottet", which features sombre, mournful riffs that feel suited for a death march. On a purely musical level, there are decent ideas and the songwriting is strong enough to warrant repeat listens, despite the album’s drawbacks.

The main issue with this record is the vocal delivery of both members, which has been a problem for the last several releases. Nocturno Culto and Fenriz are capable of much better than this, as demonstrated throughout the various records released by Darkthrone and Isengard. And yet, for some reason, they chose this approach: these half-barked, half-singing vocals that verge on parody. I don’t know if they were trying to go for a more old-school '80s approach, but if so, they missed the mark. Those old primitive death thrash bands sounded far more serious and evil, even at their rawest. Here, the delivery often feels loose and unfocused. At times it even sounds drunk, especially from Fenriz.

Because of the vocal delivery, the lyrics are more discernible, and that makes the increasingly self-aware lines much harder to overlook. What might have passed unnoticed before now stands out for the wrong reasons. The decision to open the album with prominent clean vocals was also a strange one. They don’t even let the listener settle into the record before throwing a speed bump in the way. Instead of building momentum, it immediately interrupts it, and the awkwardness lingers.

Circle the Wagons isn’t a horrible record. The production is quite refreshing for the era, and there are some interesting riffs present. But more often than not, it leaves me wanting to revisit the bands that inspired it, where these ideas were executed with far more conviction, rather than sitting through sometimes atrocious vocals and ridiculous lyrics. The only time I really come back to this is when I’m specifically in the mood to hear later Darkthrone. Either way, they've done worse but also much better.

Since the release of The Cult Is Alive, each new effort from Darkthrone has been greeted with a mixture of enthusiasm and caution. One is never fully sure what Nocturno Culto and Fenriz might have up their sleeves, given their total willingness to take chances and to give a middle finger to their critics. That is not to say that their albums have become random or nonsensical, for this is not the case. Each one picks up from its predecessor in a rather logical way, yet still there are odd surprises to be found. After Circle the Wagons, the band took a bit of a break, making this the longest that fans have had to wait for a proper full-length since the time period between Total Death and Ravishing Grimness. So, once news came of its impending release in February 2013, many were eagerly looking forward to the emergence of The Underground Resistance. The title is obviously a nod to all of those keeping the old school spirit alive in this modern age of filth and disgust, and the music follows suit.

From the opening moments of "Dead Early", one is bathed in dirty, '80s-inspired riffs that possess the same sort of nasty edge that was found on Dark Thrones and Black Flags. This tune is rather fast-paced and energetic, while also being quite dynamic. The songwriting features a mixture of thrash and speed metal, along with the d-beat drumming, joined by Nocturno Culto's old school vocal approach. This style took some getting used to, years ago, but the truth is that his approach almost had to regress just as the music did for it all to flow well together. Late in the song, there is a section where the main riff stands alone for a few moments, sort of reminiscent of "The Death of All Oaths". This is a good song to open the album, doing a good job of setting the tone and letting you know what to expect.

Of course, "Valkyrie" shatters those expectations, throughout its intro. The acoustic guitar and slow Doom riff sound like something from a Viking-era Bathory album. It is also here that one notices that the production is a little cleaner and thicker than on the previous album. This mournful dirge leads into the most shocking part of the record, a full-on speed metal song with Fenriz utilizing clean vocals throughout its entirety. As with some of his other forays into melodic singing on recent Darkthrone albums, this is incredibly awkward and off-putting upon first listen. And yet, somehow, it is so catchy and memorable that one cannot help but warm up to it. Say what you will about his voice, but he certainly sounds impassioned and genuine and manages to fit to the music more than adequately. There's somewhat of a sombre feeling to this track, not just during the slower sections, but in Fenriz's voice itself. The haunting melody at the end of the song really emphasizes this dark sentiment.

"Lesser Men" has the unenviable task of following up its epic predecessor, but the foreboding riffs conjure up an evil and primitive feeling from the beginning. There is a noticeable Celtic Frost influence to some of the riffs, with nice solos from Nocturno Culto. Even though they have moved on from pure black metal, his riffs still maintain a sort of darkness that most bands trying this style are simply incapable of matching. That is often the difference between bands that were there when this type of music was in its heyday and those that came along long after, just trying to recreate the sound without a full understanding of it. Clearly, Darkthrone's old school roots enable them to better tap into that primordial evil.

Next is "The Ones You Left Behind", which is another song penned by Fenriz and features a mixture of clean and harsh vocals. The overall atmosphere is less dark than on Nocturno Culto's songs, with the d-beat drumming, less serious vocal approach and the more light-hearted guitar melodies. This one is rather simplistic and straightforward, but enjoyable nonetheless.

"Come Warfare, the Entire Doom" immediately takes you to a darker place, with the slow Doom riffs and wailing lead guitar screaming out from the shadows. As the song moves forward, the pace picks up a bit, but never really becomes fast, until very late. The riffs have sort of a sombre tone and Nocturno Culto's voice has a grim snarl that seems more and more disgusted with this world, taking on a rather morbid feeling at certain points. There are brief tremolo passages that lead to more solos, which makes one wonder what could have been if the band had embraced the use of solos years earlier. This song is rather lengthy, clocking in around eight and a half minutes, though it could have been shortened a bit.

The album ends with "Leave No Cross Unturned", another Fenriz track that extends past the thirteen-minute mark. The riffing is far more intense and dark than on his other two songs, making this one fit in with Nocturno Culto's tracks a little better. This was the first song that many of us heard from this record and it is still quite a lot to digest. The clean vocals and lead solos are memorable and the riffs are drenched in mid-'80s thrash glory, mixed in with some of the prerequisite Celtic Frost influence. This includes some eerie moaning in the distance, giving somewhat of a ghoulish feeling. It is almost humourous to think of the fact that Darkthrone has written more songs with this typical Tom Warrior style of guitar playing than Mr. Warrior himself. No matter how much the band changes, their number-one inspiration remains ever-present in their songwriting. One of the chief complaints regarding this track is that its content does not warrant such a lengthy running time. This criticism is somewhat justified, as despite the good riffs and solos, this could have easily been cut down by a minimum of five minutes. The Morbid Tales worship in the middle becomes slightly monotonous after a while. Once things pick back up, Fenriz gets a little more wild in his vocal delivery, including some unexpected shrieks. The song then ends with another mid-paced riff and lead section that sounds somehow familiar, though I can't place it.

In the end, The Underground Resistance is dominated by a pure, old school feeling throughout and it is a definite improvement over the last several releases. That said, there are hardly any great riffs like the better ones found on Dark Thrones and Black Flags. After such a long layoff one would have imagined something a little more monumental regarding the actual content rather than song length. Either way, Nocturno Culto and Fenriz are still doing their part to contribute to the struggle for maintaining the old school, pure metal feeling as they wage war against the trendy, plastic drones of modernity. Hopefully, more aspiring musicians look to them for direction rather than the legions of the false path.

Darkthrone is responsible for creating some of my absolute favourite albums, though many years have passed since then. Far from being the sort to unrealistically expect Under a Funeral Moon Pt. II (I probably gave up on such hopes by 2004 at the latest), I've at least wanted them to make something that I could enjoy. For a time, it got increasingly difficult, as things kept going in the wrong direction. The songwriting got less interesting, the lyrics became immensely ridiculous and even the vocals (of both guys) were just horrendous. Somehow or another, I actually managed to appreciate Dark Thrones and Black Flags, for the most part, while albums such as The Cult is Alive, F.O.A.D. and Circle the Wagons were extremely off-putting. The likes of Sardonic Wrath, The Underground Resistance and Arctic Thunder weren't offensively bad, but came off as dull and forgettable.

So we arrive to 2019 and the release of a new Darkthrone record, Old Star. I certainly don't keep up with today's underground and had no idea that the band had even been working on anything, nor had I read any recent interviews with the very talkative Fenriz. Even after learning of the album's existence, I had no intentions of listening to it. Nevertheless, one way or another, one of the songs crossed my path and surprised me a little. The last couple releases showed that Fenriz and Nocturno Culto apppeared to be taking things more seriously, no longer going overboard with the self-referential parody, and so I finally gave the album a proper listen and must say that Old Star is the most enjoyable thing that they have released in many years.

It should come as no surprise that the songwriting owes very much to various '80s metal bands, though it feels like the ingredients coalesce in a much more coherent manner than at times in the past. As has been the case for about twenty-five years now, the songs written by Nocturno Culto are the better ones. Two of his tracks, "I Muffle Your Inner Choir" and especially "Duke of Gloat", actually utilize the sort of faster-paced tremelo melodies that connect back with the band's classic black metal period. It's rather bizarre that Fenriz was the one who solely composed Darkthrone's most iconic album, Transilvanian Hunger, but Nocturno Culto has always been the one most likely to hearken back to that era with his songs. He also utilizes slower, doom riffs in the opener and the very gloomy title track. This kind of Candlemass influence is where these guys were definitely on the same page, as Fenriz's songs feature a fair amount of this as well. Still, when it comes to his songs, the strongest and most obvious influence that hits you in the face is Celtic Frost. It may lack the soulful pulling of the strings, found on old songs like "The Hordes of Nebulah", but several of the riffs found on tracks like "The Hardship of the Scots", "Alp Man" and "The Key is Inside the Wall" would have been right at home on Morbid Tales or Emperor's Return.

Speaking of the song titles, one can only guess that the lyrics are the same sort of wretched drivel that Fenriz has been writing for many years, now. I have to assume so, because I just couldn't bring myself to actually read the lyrics in the booklet for fear of diminishing my impression of the album. Starting somewhere around The Cult is Alive, Nocturno Culto began using a ridiculous vocal style that felt like a total mockery and was vastly inferior to what he had done in the early years, and this really highlighted the terrible lyrics due to the mix and the rotten delivery. Thankfully, the vocals on Old Star more closely resemble Tom Warrior, rather than some mental defect chewing on his own face and the vocal track is no longer so high in the mix. Even better, Fenriz does not contribute his own voice to the album.

The production sounds more professional than some of their old albums, but not in the plastic and fake way of most modern bands. One definitely wouldn't mistake this for some horrible Abyss Studio production job, but it still has more of a full and clear sound than Under a Funeral Moon, for example. That said, it still maintains an organic feel and doesn't even have the same level of polish found on various late '80s metal records. Simply put, the sound suits the material.

In the end, the album that I almost never bothered with turned out to be Darkthrone's best release in several years. The songwriting is solid and memorable and there's actually some bit of dark and gloomy atmosphere created, as opposed to just sounding like a random jam session of two guys covering favourites from their youth. Old Star probably works best if listened to as a whole, since everything is just so cohesive and arranged so well. After years of records that range from unremarkable to downright awful, these two have finally offered up something that I am able to fully recommend. Definitely worth a listen, even if you've lost hope in Darkthrone in the last years.

⛧