Hardcore, Punk & Heavy Metal > D Hardcore, Punk & Heavy Metal > Darkthrone > Black Metal

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 ...
...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 ... Read review

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 ...
...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. Six of the songs are written and "sung" in Norwegian, with only the title track and As Flittermice as Satans Spys being ... Read review

Advantages: Good if you like deathmetal, i suppose...
Disadvantages: My god, its boring hearing 11 tracks of trempicking

Argh. I bought this album on a whim, and fairly regret it. I'd heard some death metal such as slayer and thought this might be of similar vein - how wrong I was. This entire cd is pretty much just growling and trempicking, which i find incredibly boring. The cd opens with some trempicking interspaced with some samey groove sections, and this sets the feel of the album. Listening to it now, I can't say the vocals are awesome, as I can't really hear ...
...death metal" sound to it, which consists of lots of trempicking (fast picking), atonal solos and screaming. At least in its favour this album isn't tremendously heavy - it is still fairly listen able, and im sure if your really into death metal they're probably passable. I just find them so monotonous, the trempicking is yawn worthy, and the attempts at a groove are nothing in comparison to bands like slayer and Pantera. They simply do not make ... Read review

Advantages: A return to form, but with better production
Disadvantages: None

I very rarely make money on music reviews on review sites such as this… this is because when I finally get round to writing a review, someone else has already done it! Unless, of course, I write a review on a less 'popular' band. So… knowing I will probably make about 8p on this review, here goes… Since Metallica's 'Black' album was released I felt that Metallica's music took a very steady downhill slide, with only a handful of highlights such as ...
...looked like the days of 'Master of Puppets,' or my favourite 'Blackened' were gone forever, lost in time… a bit like teardrops in rain… The 'Black' album (1991) sparked a journey of success for Metallic, though - and included the phenomenal hit 'Enter Sandman.' A little bird told me about a month or so ago that Metallica were releasing a new album, and thinking of 'Load' and 'Re-load,' I think I may well have just pulled an 'Ah, well… so what,' ... Read review

Advantages: Kirk's Solos back, songs more varied and better than St Anger, a couple of epics.
Disadvantages: Not as good as some over-the-top reviewers have said.

...also a stand-out song on Death Magnetic, in some ways, it's sad to see them take such a move away from the old Unforgivens, however what they have created is outstanding. Despite some good quality songs on this record, there are a few that aren't bad, but turn into a drag when your listening to them. Songs like Broken, Beat and Scarred take a while to get into after the somewhat slow start. As a guitar player myself its a blessing to hear Kirk back ...
...most fans would agree that the absence of the guitar solos was a key reason for the disappointment of St Anger. Despite all these positives, we shouldn't be too optimistic. There has been a lot of speculation that this album would be a 'Neo-Master of Puppets.' In my opinion, this album is a good piece of work that shouldn't be judged in that way, as that will only let down a lot of hyped Metallica fans. The Metallica sound has evolved too much to ... Read review