Darkthrone

This article is about the black metal band. For the online MMORPG, see Dark Throne.

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Cover of "Transilvanian Hunger" Album

Darkthrone is a highly influential Norwegian black metal band formed in 1986. They began as a technical, jazz-influenced death metal outfit under the name of Black Death. They released several demo cassettes in this style, 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 or nordic pseudonyms. At this point, bassist Dag Nilsen left the band. Darkthrone subsequently recorded and released the 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.

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Cover of "A Blaze in the Northern Sky" Album

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. All of these early black metal albums were characterised by raw sound, extremely low fidelity recording quality, and musical simplicity. Darkthrone remain 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.

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Photo of Darkthrone in 2001

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 friend Satyr (of Satyricon) added vocal tracks to the recording in 1996. Additionally, Fenriz did the vocals for Darkthrone on the Land of Frost and Thulcandra demo tapes.

Discography

Demos, Promos & Unofficial Releases

• 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)
• Aside from Mayhem, 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.

Studio Releases

• Soulside Journey - (1990)
• A Blaze in the Northern Sky - (1991)
• Under a Funeral Moon - (1993)
• Transilvanian Hunger - (1994)
• Panzerfaust - (1995)
• Total Death - (1996)
• Goatlord - (1996)
• Ravishing Grimness - (1999)
• Preparing For War (Best Of, 1988-1994) - (2000)
• Plaguewielder - (2001)
• Hate Them - (2003)
• Sardonic Wrath - (2004)

Band Members

Current Members

• Nocturno Culto (Ted Skjellum) - Vocals, Guitar, Bass, Lyrics - (since 1986)
  • Also performed on Satyricon's "Nemesis Divina" album & subsequent tour in 1996/1997.
• Fenriz (Gylve Nagell) - Drums, Bass, Additional Vocals, Lyrics - (since 1986)
  • Also involved in Dødheimsgard, Isengard, Eibon and Neptune Towers.

Former Members

• Zephyrous (Ivar Enger) - Guitar - (1986-1995)
• Dag Nilssen - Bass - (1986-1991)
• Anders Risberget - Guitars - (1986-1988)

External Links

• Darkthrone Official Homepage
• Darkthrone Lyrics