FOAD - Darkthrone

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

...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... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful

Advantages: If your looking for evil music, you've definately found it here!
Disadvantages: It may be too brutal for some people as it is extreme metal.

...Those of you who know quite a bit about the Underground Black Metal scene will know that Darkthrone are in fact one of the genre’s finer parts, or maybe that should be grimmer parts. After giving it a bit of thought (and being given a bit of advice by “Rude”) I decided to get “A Blaze in the Northern Sky”. The opening song “Kathaarian Life Code” is a spooky and brutal song. It starts with some chants from Fenriz (drummer, lyrics), and some strange grunts from vocalist Nocturno Culto. Just after reaching the minute mark, the song completely changes. Enter crushing riffs, mad drumming and a vocalist who has a gut wrenchingly evil scream! There are many, many pace changes throughout this album. One minute Fenriz is giving the drums a light tap, the next minute he is pounding the hell out of them! Both Zephyrous (rhythm guitar... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful

Advantages: atmosphere, it's Black Metal
Disadvantages: songs all sound the same after a while

...Darkthrone's Transilvanian Hunger is their 4th album, and last(until now) on the Peaceville label. In 1990, Darkthrone released their debut album, which was a total Death Metal record, but later opted to change sound and become Black Metal, influenced by Mayhem guitarist and scene legend Euronymous. Up until this time, Darkthrone's two previous full lengths(Blaze in the Northern Sky, Under a Funeral Moon) were minimal, yet featured many different riffs, drum beats, and overall more complexitiy. Come this album and all of that has changed. The 8 songs present here are all based around the same structure, 2 or 3 riffs repeated over and over to induce a trance like state in the listener. The drums are blast beats exclusively, but unlike Marduk and Dark Funeral, are not uber fast. The bass can be at times slightly audible, but this is rare... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful