Cult Is Alive, The [PA] - Darkthrone > Reviews > Darkthrone Coming and Kicking

Author's product rating:   

Originality	Average
Lyrics	Thought-provoking
Quality and consistency of tracks	Flawless
How does it compare to the artist's other releases	Outstanding
Value for Money	Good

Advantages:	good production and sound, catchy songs
Disadvantages:	different from the older albums

Recommend to potential buyers:

yes

Full review

This release was something totally unexpected (except the fact that the full-length album was preceded by a EP "Too Old Too Cold" which gave people a decent surprise) and came like rain from clear sky.
With this release Darkthrone have evolved from good old norwegian black metal to motörheadesque and quite heavily punk influenced thrash metal band and I absolutely adore it. Actually the change is rather small, it could be considered big only because Darkthrone was for quite a long time a black metal band, but considering that Darkthrone started as a death metal band (their first album is basically a death metal release) turning into black metal after their first release "Soulside Journey". So it's not that big surprise.
Compared to their previous full-length "Sardonic Wrath" this release is much more listener-friendly. The vocals, done by Nocturno Culto, are somewhat less harsh, not so much screech as in more like harsh singing familiar to many thrash bands. The music itself is 100% Darkthrone, just guitars are for my ear softer and riffs groovier. Drumming is also in the same vein with previous releases, in the good old vein of Fenriz.
The lyrical content is very venomous and gives a very hard bitchslap to bands copying Darkthrone and hit to the face to every single poser in the black metal scene (listen to "Shut up"). Basically this release is a kick in the nuts to every single human being that is not true - true to himself and true to his beliefs. Darkthrone is true and will stay true probably forever.
This is in my opinion a great release and quite confidently I can say that the change in style is not to attract new audience (which it certainly has done) but that's just because of a simple matter - Fenriz and Nocturno Culto like it that way. I recommend it to every extreme metal listener, you'll get a good release for your money.