DARKTHRONE
Darkthrone is a highly influential Norwegian black metal band formed in 1986. They began as a thrash metal outfit under the name of Black Death.
Biography
Forming in 1986 as Black Death, the band released several demo cassettes and were subsequently signed to Peaceville Records on a four album contract. After changing their name to Darkthrone, the band released their first full length album, Soulside Journey. The album was cleanly produced in a technical death metal style characterised by progressive song structure, complex drumming patterns, and fast, accurate riffing. Soon afterward, Darkthrone adopted the aesthetic style that would come to represent the black metal scene, wearing corpsepaint and working under occult pseudonyms. At this point, bassist Dag Nilsen left the band (but still played, listed as "Session Bass", on their next album A Blaze in the Northern Sky). Darkthrone subsequently recorded and released the seminal black metal album A Blaze in the Northern Sky, which was strongly inspired by the works of Bathory and Celtic Frost. Peaceville Records was originally skeptical about releasing the album due to Darkthrone's diversion from the death metal style.
The band delved even deeper into the black metal sound with the their following album, Under a Funeral Moon, which has since established itself as a landmark for the genre as a whole. It was followed by their quintessential masterpiece Transilvanian Hunger, which is generally regarded as Darkthrone's finest work, although the band itself regards it as being a rather untypical Darkthrone record. (In reality, Transilvanian Hunger is considered by a vast majority to be Darkthrone's best album. It is listed as one of the ten best Black Metal recordings of all time on Pagan Reviews. All of these early black metal albums were characterised by raw sound, extremely low fidelity recording quality, and musical simplicity. Darkthrone remains a powerful force in the black metal genre, although they have experimented with their influences over the years.
Darkthrone received some criticism for a statement that they had intended to print on the Transilvanian Hunger album: "We would like to state that Transilvanian Hunger stands beyond any criticism. If any man should attempt to criticize this LP, he should be thoroughly patronized for his obviously Jewish behavior." Darkthrone later retracted this statement due to pressure from Peaceville Records, although the phrase "Norsk Arisk Black Metal" ("Norwegian Aryan Black Metal") remained on the pressing until it was re-issued in 2001. When Panzerfaust came out the liner notes included "Darkthrone is certainly not a Nazi-band nor a political band, those of you who still might think so, you can lick Mother Mary's asshole in eternity" which cleared Darkthrone's name as a National Socialist Black Metal band.
Darkthrone moved to the Moonfog label (of Satyr from Satyricon) for subsequent releases.
After the recording of their next album Panzerfaust, Zephyrous (Ivar Enger) left the band, supposedly disappearing into misanthropy, although he did not perform on either Transilvanian Hunger or Panzerfaust. (NOTE: This is somewhat disputed but the band continues to state that Zephyrous's last musical contribution was Under A Funeral Moon).
Their next release, Total Death, was recorded with guest vocal and lyrics by various scene musicians of the time, the merit of which is widely disputed.
The Goatlord album was a rehearsal tape recorded between Soulside Journey and A Blaze In The Northern Sky which was scrapped after the band had changed its sound. Drummer Fenriz and Satyr (of Satyricon) added vocal tracks to the recording in 1996.
Since 1999 Fenriz has also been recording with Eibon, a "supergroup" of sorts, with Satyr of Satyricon, Killjoy of Necrophagia and Phil Anselmo of Pantera, although their debut album seems destined to never be released.
In 2005, Darkthrone confirmed they had returned to Peaceville Records after leaving in 1994. They had also started up their own record label Tyrant Syndicate Productions, which will release their albums in the future (with Peaceville/Snapper Music distributing). To celebrate their return, Peaceville re-issued the Preparing For War CD Anthology covering their first era at Peaceville with a bonus CD of additional demos and a DVD of rare live performances.Peaceville has also re-released the four original recordings on their label with an added interview video explaining the recording process and their time during the period of these releases.
Darkthrone released their 12th album, The Cult Is Alive, on February 27th, 2006. This was preceded by an EP titled Too Old, Too Cold which featured exclusive tracks. Additionally, they filmed a video for Too Old, Too Cold which is included on the Special Edition CD of The Cult Is Alive. The album brings with it a punk aesthetic/style to the songs.
Recently noted on Peaceville's website, Guitarist/Vocalist Nocturno Culto is working on a film and additionally, he and Fenriz are already beginning pre-production for their next album.
Discography
Demos, Promos, EPs and Bootlegs
Land of Frost [Demo] - (1987)
A New Dimension [Promo] - (1988)
Thulcandra [Demo] - (1989)
Cromlech [Promo] - (1990)
Darkthrone, Holy Darkthrone - Eight Norwegian Bands Paying Tribute - (Tribute album released by Moonfog Records) - (1998)
God of Disturbance and Friction - (Single, Released on "Moonfog 2000 - A Different Perspective") - (2000)
Too Old, Too Cold [EP] - (2006) - Single/EP release with one new song (Too Old, Too Cold), an exclusive track featurng Grutle of Enslaved on guest vocals (High on Cold Water), a cover of Siouxsie & The Banshees (Love In A Void), and an alternate vocal version of one other album track (Graveyard Slut).
Aside from Mayhem and Moonblood, Darkthrone may have the honor of being one of the most commonly bootlegged black metal bands. The three best known bootlegs include The Roots of Evilness Live which includes a live Darkthrone performance from 1990 with the Thulcandra demo recording; The True Legends In Black, which is a split album with Mayhem and contains the Thulcandra demo; and A Night of Unholy Black Metal, which contains a recording of Darkthrone's final live 1996 performance, four additional live songs from 1991, and five rehearsal tracks for Under A Funeral Moon. There are also many other bootlegs that are not covered here.
Albums
Soulside Journey - (1990)
A Blaze in the Northern Sky - (1991)
Under a Funeral Moon - (1993)
Transilvanian Hunger - (1994)
Panzerfaust - (1995)
Total Death - (1996)
Goatlord - (1997)
Ravishing Grimness - (1999)
Preparing For War (Best Of, 1988-1994) - (2000)
Plaguewielder - (2001)
Hate Them - (2003)
Sardonic Wrath - (2004)
Preparing For War (Re-Released as a Box Set with a bonus CD of demos and DVD of live rare performances and interviews) - (2005)
The Cult is Alive - (2006)
Band members
Current members
Nocturno Culto (Ted Skjellum) - Vocals, Lead Guitar, Bass, Lyrics (since 1984)
Also performed on Satyricon's "Nemesis Divina" album and subsequent tour in 1996/1997 with the name Kveldulv.
Fenriz (Gylve Nagell) - Drums, Vocals, Rhythm Guitar, Lyrics (since 1983)
Also involved in Dødheimsgard, Isengard, Eibon, Storm, Valhall, Frost and Neptune Towers.
Former members
Zephyrous (Ivar Enger) - Guitar - (1988-1995)
Dag Nilsen - Bass - (1983-1991)
Anders Risberget - Guitars - (1983-1988)
THE NEW ALBUM: TOO COLD, TOO OLD
This album has been on pretty high rotation in our house since it arrived a week or two ago. As primarily fans of the Peaceville era albums, it has been absolutely enjoyed, but thoroughly dissected as well.
In many regards this is not an album that is definitive of Darkthrone, yet it has many of the elements that typify them as being one of the progenitors of the ‘second wave’ of black metal.
It is neither cold, nor grim sounding, it does not invoke images of frozen Nordic lands or inspire the chill that accompanies, for example Transylvanian Hunger or Under a Funeral Moon. The production, certainly raw by most recording standards, seems surprisingly polished for Darkthrone. I would be hesitant to call it black metal under the standards that Darkthrone, and particularly Fenriz himself set down for the genre, yet I suspect that in its own way, that is the point. Many more recent interviews discuss the current listening habits of both Nocturno Culto and Fenriz indicate that they have been listening to a wide cross section of styles particularly punk, and it come across in the music. Lyrically it seems to have evolved somewhat away from the dark and ideological lyrics of the past, and seems to focus more on general anger and cynicism.
A few standout tracks must be mentioned at this point. The second track on the album, ‘Too Old, Too Cold’, which also has a video clip as an extra multimedia enhancement (this sort of thing in itself is very welcome but highly atypical) is a particularly cynical and virulent attack on the state of the genre. Whilst the lyrics are not printed in the accompanying booklet they are not hard to understand:
Nothing to prove, just a hellish rock and roll freak
You call your metal Black? It’s just plastic, lame and weak.
We’re to old…To Cold…
….Your Attitude is so boring
…We’re too old and too fucking cold
It’s a very straightforward track, very much in the vein of their no frills attitude towards songwriting, but throws a stab in the direction in what they have mentioned in interviews to be a genre increasingly espoused by posers within the true (Tr00?) black metal ideology. The forth track owes its life to Celtic Frost. The vocals on this track are performed by Fenriz and are almost straight off the CF album ‘To Mega Therion’. It features what can only be defined as a solo. Yes, a solo that is most Celtic Frost-ish in its delivery. Trust me, listen to them back to back, you’ll see what I mean. I suppose it comes as no surprise when you consider the CF to have been listed by both Nocturno Culto and Fenriz as being a major influence on them and this album. It is a killer track in any case, and one of my favourites. Track 7, De Inderjordiske, is a dynamic track with trilling guitars and some strange minor key progressions, flats where there shouldn’t be flats and misshapen chords and so forth, that shouldn’t work, but do. Track 9, Shutup, is great, once again, with some really interesting guitar lead-almost-solo’s (it’s also funny to hear some yell ‘you fucking twat’ in a rural Norwegian accent).
If you are a Darkthrone fan, definitely give this album a listen, and enjoy it as another stage in musical development for a band who were an integral part of the genre in its early days. You can certainly expect black metal, you will get it, but don’t expect the grim and frosty sound of Darkthrone past. They are too old, and definitely too cold for that.
Darkthrone is a highly influential Norwegian black metal band formed in 1986. They began as a thrash metal outfit under the name of Black Death.
Biography
Forming in 1986 as Black Death, the band released several demo cassettes and were subsequently signed to Peaceville Records on a four album contract. After changing their name to Darkthrone, the band released their first full length album, Soulside Journey. The album was cleanly produced in a technical death metal style characterised by progressive song structure, complex drumming patterns, and fast, accurate riffing. Soon afterward, Darkthrone adopted the aesthetic style that would come to represent the black metal scene, wearing corpsepaint and working under occult pseudonyms. At this point, bassist Dag Nilsen left the band (but still played, listed as "Session Bass", on their next album A Blaze in the Northern Sky). Darkthrone subsequently recorded and released the seminal black metal album A Blaze in the Northern Sky, which was strongly inspired by the works of Bathory and Celtic Frost. Peaceville Records was originally skeptical about releasing the album due to Darkthrone's diversion from the death metal style.
The band delved even deeper into the black metal sound with the their following album, Under a Funeral Moon, which has since established itself as a landmark for the genre as a whole. It was followed by their quintessential masterpiece Transilvanian Hunger, which is generally regarded as Darkthrone's finest work, although the band itself regards it as being a rather untypical Darkthrone record. (In reality, Transilvanian Hunger is considered by a vast majority to be Darkthrone's best album. It is listed as one of the ten best Black Metal recordings of all time on Pagan Reviews. All of these early black metal albums were characterised by raw sound, extremely low fidelity recording quality, and musical simplicity. Darkthrone remains a powerful force in the black metal genre, although they have experimented with their influences over the years.
Darkthrone received some criticism for a statement that they had intended to print on the Transilvanian Hunger album: "We would like to state that Transilvanian Hunger stands beyond any criticism. If any man should attempt to criticize this LP, he should be thoroughly patronized for his obviously Jewish behavior." Darkthrone later retracted this statement due to pressure from Peaceville Records, although the phrase "Norsk Arisk Black Metal" ("Norwegian Aryan Black Metal") remained on the pressing until it was re-issued in 2001. When Panzerfaust came out the liner notes included "Darkthrone is certainly not a Nazi-band nor a political band, those of you who still might think so, you can lick Mother Mary's asshole in eternity" which cleared Darkthrone's name as a National Socialist Black Metal band.
Darkthrone moved to the Moonfog label (of Satyr from Satyricon) for subsequent releases.
After the recording of their next album Panzerfaust, Zephyrous (Ivar Enger) left the band, supposedly disappearing into misanthropy, although he did not perform on either Transilvanian Hunger or Panzerfaust. (NOTE: This is somewhat disputed but the band continues to state that Zephyrous's last musical contribution was Under A Funeral Moon).
Their next release, Total Death, was recorded with guest vocal and lyrics by various scene musicians of the time, the merit of which is widely disputed.
The Goatlord album was a rehearsal tape recorded between Soulside Journey and A Blaze In The Northern Sky which was scrapped after the band had changed its sound. Drummer Fenriz and Satyr (of Satyricon) added vocal tracks to the recording in 1996.
Since 1999 Fenriz has also been recording with Eibon, a "supergroup" of sorts, with Satyr of Satyricon, Killjoy of Necrophagia and Phil Anselmo of Pantera, although their debut album seems destined to never be released.
In 2005, Darkthrone confirmed they had returned to Peaceville Records after leaving in 1994. They had also started up their own record label Tyrant Syndicate Productions, which will release their albums in the future (with Peaceville/Snapper Music distributing). To celebrate their return, Peaceville re-issued the Preparing For War CD Anthology covering their first era at Peaceville with a bonus CD of additional demos and a DVD of rare live performances.Peaceville has also re-released the four original recordings on their label with an added interview video explaining the recording process and their time during the period of these releases.
Darkthrone released their 12th album, The Cult Is Alive, on February 27th, 2006. This was preceded by an EP titled Too Old, Too Cold which featured exclusive tracks. Additionally, they filmed a video for Too Old, Too Cold which is included on the Special Edition CD of The Cult Is Alive. The album brings with it a punk aesthetic/style to the songs.
Recently noted on Peaceville's website, Guitarist/Vocalist Nocturno Culto is working on a film and additionally, he and Fenriz are already beginning pre-production for their next album.
Discography
Demos, Promos, EPs and Bootlegs
Land of Frost [Demo] - (1987)
A New Dimension [Promo] - (1988)
Thulcandra [Demo] - (1989)
Cromlech [Promo] - (1990)
Darkthrone, Holy Darkthrone - Eight Norwegian Bands Paying Tribute - (Tribute album released by Moonfog Records) - (1998)
God of Disturbance and Friction - (Single, Released on "Moonfog 2000 - A Different Perspective") - (2000)
Too Old, Too Cold [EP] - (2006) - Single/EP release with one new song (Too Old, Too Cold), an exclusive track featurng Grutle of Enslaved on guest vocals (High on Cold Water), a cover of Siouxsie & The Banshees (Love In A Void), and an alternate vocal version of one other album track (Graveyard Slut).
Aside from Mayhem and Moonblood, Darkthrone may have the honor of being one of the most commonly bootlegged black metal bands. The three best known bootlegs include The Roots of Evilness Live which includes a live Darkthrone performance from 1990 with the Thulcandra demo recording; The True Legends In Black, which is a split album with Mayhem and contains the Thulcandra demo; and A Night of Unholy Black Metal, which contains a recording of Darkthrone's final live 1996 performance, four additional live songs from 1991, and five rehearsal tracks for Under A Funeral Moon. There are also many other bootlegs that are not covered here.
Albums
Soulside Journey - (1990)
A Blaze in the Northern Sky - (1991)
Under a Funeral Moon - (1993)
Transilvanian Hunger - (1994)
Panzerfaust - (1995)
Total Death - (1996)
Goatlord - (1997)
Ravishing Grimness - (1999)
Preparing For War (Best Of, 1988-1994) - (2000)
Plaguewielder - (2001)
Hate Them - (2003)
Sardonic Wrath - (2004)
Preparing For War (Re-Released as a Box Set with a bonus CD of demos and DVD of live rare performances and interviews) - (2005)
The Cult is Alive - (2006)
Band members
Current members
Nocturno Culto (Ted Skjellum) - Vocals, Lead Guitar, Bass, Lyrics (since 1984)
Also performed on Satyricon's "Nemesis Divina" album and subsequent tour in 1996/1997 with the name Kveldulv.
Fenriz (Gylve Nagell) - Drums, Vocals, Rhythm Guitar, Lyrics (since 1983)
Also involved in Dødheimsgard, Isengard, Eibon, Storm, Valhall, Frost and Neptune Towers.
Former members
Zephyrous (Ivar Enger) - Guitar - (1988-1995)
Dag Nilsen - Bass - (1983-1991)
Anders Risberget - Guitars - (1983-1988)
THE NEW ALBUM: TOO COLD, TOO OLD
This album has been on pretty high rotation in our house since it arrived a week or two ago. As primarily fans of the Peaceville era albums, it has been absolutely enjoyed, but thoroughly dissected as well.
In many regards this is not an album that is definitive of Darkthrone, yet it has many of the elements that typify them as being one of the progenitors of the ‘second wave’ of black metal.
It is neither cold, nor grim sounding, it does not invoke images of frozen Nordic lands or inspire the chill that accompanies, for example Transylvanian Hunger or Under a Funeral Moon. The production, certainly raw by most recording standards, seems surprisingly polished for Darkthrone. I would be hesitant to call it black metal under the standards that Darkthrone, and particularly Fenriz himself set down for the genre, yet I suspect that in its own way, that is the point. Many more recent interviews discuss the current listening habits of both Nocturno Culto and Fenriz indicate that they have been listening to a wide cross section of styles particularly punk, and it come across in the music. Lyrically it seems to have evolved somewhat away from the dark and ideological lyrics of the past, and seems to focus more on general anger and cynicism.
A few standout tracks must be mentioned at this point. The second track on the album, ‘Too Old, Too Cold’, which also has a video clip as an extra multimedia enhancement (this sort of thing in itself is very welcome but highly atypical) is a particularly cynical and virulent attack on the state of the genre. Whilst the lyrics are not printed in the accompanying booklet they are not hard to understand:
Nothing to prove, just a hellish rock and roll freak
You call your metal Black? It’s just plastic, lame and weak.
We’re to old…To Cold…
….Your Attitude is so boring
…We’re too old and too fucking cold
It’s a very straightforward track, very much in the vein of their no frills attitude towards songwriting, but throws a stab in the direction in what they have mentioned in interviews to be a genre increasingly espoused by posers within the true (Tr00?) black metal ideology. The forth track owes its life to Celtic Frost. The vocals on this track are performed by Fenriz and are almost straight off the CF album ‘To Mega Therion’. It features what can only be defined as a solo. Yes, a solo that is most Celtic Frost-ish in its delivery. Trust me, listen to them back to back, you’ll see what I mean. I suppose it comes as no surprise when you consider the CF to have been listed by both Nocturno Culto and Fenriz as being a major influence on them and this album. It is a killer track in any case, and one of my favourites. Track 7, De Inderjordiske, is a dynamic track with trilling guitars and some strange minor key progressions, flats where there shouldn’t be flats and misshapen chords and so forth, that shouldn’t work, but do. Track 9, Shutup, is great, once again, with some really interesting guitar lead-almost-solo’s (it’s also funny to hear some yell ‘you fucking twat’ in a rural Norwegian accent).
If you are a Darkthrone fan, definitely give this album a listen, and enjoy it as another stage in musical development for a band who were an integral part of the genre in its early days. You can certainly expect black metal, you will get it, but don’t expect the grim and frosty sound of Darkthrone past. They are too old, and definitely too cold for that.
