ITP V.021 REVIEW: DARKTHRONE: "ETERNAL HAILS......"

 

BAND:DARKTHRONE (NORWAY)

GENRE: BLACK METAL

LABEL PEACEVILLE RECORDS

 RELEASE DATE: 6/25/2021

TITLE:"ETERNAL HAILS......"

   PREVIOUS RELEASES (CATALOG): 

"SHADOWS OF ICONOCLASM" (BOXED SET), 4/2/2021 via PEACEVILLE RECORDS. 

"OLD STAR", 5/31/2019 via PEACEVILLE RECORDS. 

"THE WIND OF 666 BLACKHEARTS" (COMPILATION), 11/25/2016 via PEACEVILLE RECORDS. 

"ARCTIC THUNDER", 10/14/2016 via PEACEVILLE RECORDS. 

"BLACK DEATH AND BEYOND" (COMPILATION), 5/12/2014 via PEACEVILLE RECORDS.

"THE UNDERGROUND RESISTANCE", 2/25/2013 via PEACEVILLE RECORDS. 

"SEMPITERNAL PAST"-THE DARKTHRONE DEMOS", (COMPILATION), 12/2011 via PEACEVILLE RECORDS. 

"CIRCLE THE WAGONS", 4/5/2010 via PEACEVILLE RECORDS. 

"DARK THRONES AND BLACK FLAGS", 10/20/2008 via PEACEVILLE RECORDS.

"FROSTLAND TAPES" (COMPILATION), 6/23/2008 via PEACEVILLE RECORDS.

"F.O.A.D.", 9/24/2007 via  PEACEVILLE RECORDS. 

"NWOBHM (NEW WAVE OF BLACK HEAVY METAL)" (EP), .9/10/2007 via PEACEVILLE RECORDS. 

"NEW DARK CLASSICS VOL. 2" (SPLIT WITH NOVEMBRE, GALLHAMMER and OPETH), 2007 via PEACEVILLE RECORDS. 

"THE CULT IS ALIVE", 2/27/2006 via PEACEVILLE RECORDS. 

"SARDONIC WRATH", 9/6/2004 via MOONFOG PRODUCTIONS. 

"HATE THEM", 3/17/2003 via MOONFOG PRODUCTIONS.

"PLAGUEWIELDER", 9/10/2001 via MOONFOG PRODUCTIONS. 

"PREPARING FOR WAR" (COMPILATION), 11/6/2000 via PEACEVILLE RECORDS. 

"RAVISHING GRIMNESS", 11/29/1999 via MOONFOG PRODUCTIONS. 

"CRUSADE FROM THE NORTH", (SPLIT WITH SATYRICON, WONGRAVEN, ISENGARD, NEPTUNE TOWERS), 12/13/1996 via MOONFOG PRODUCTIONS. 

"TOTAL DEATH", 1/15/1996 via MOONFOG PRODUCTIONS. 

"GOATLORD", 1996 via  MOONFOG PRODUCTIONS. 

"PANZERFAUST", 6/6/1995 via  MOONFOG PRODUCTIONS. 

"TRANSYLVANIAN HUNGER", 2/17/1994 via PEACEVILLE RECORDS. 

"UNDER A FUNERAL MOON", 2/15/1993 via PEACEVILLE RECORDS. 

"A BLAZE IN THE NORTHERN SKY", 3/2/1992 via  .PEACEVILLE RECORDS.. 

"SOULSIDE JOURNEY", 1/13/1991 via  .PEACEVILLE RECORDS. .

 

 

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BEST RELEASE(S) "A BLAZE IN THE NORTHERN SKY" (1992), "TRANSYLVANIAN HUNGER" (1994), "RAVISHING GRIMNESS" (1999), "HATE THEM (2003), "SARDONIC WRATH" (2004), "F.O.A.D." (2007), "ARCTIC THUNDER" (2016) , "ETERNAL HAILS". (2021)

 

 

 

DARKTHRONE: "ETERNAL HAILS......"  TRACK LISTING: 

1."HIS MASTER'S VOICE" 

2. "HATE CLOAK"

3. "WAKE OF THE AWAKENED"

4."VOYAGE TO A NORTH POLE ADRIFT"

 5."LOST ARCANE CITY OF UPPAKRA"

 

   ITP RATING: ****
PRODUCTION: *** 1/2
SONGWRITING: ****

PERFORMANCE: ****

DARKTHRONE are a legendary black metal duo from Norway who came into prominence in the early 90's releasing death AND black metal releases. . DARKTHRONE avoided the early 90's controversy in the Norwegian black metal scene (church arson, murder) as the band dwindled from a five piece to a duo. 

FENRIZ, DARKTHRONE'S affable drummer, bassist and vocalist has become an elder statesman for the Scandinavian extreme metal scene. FENRIZ talks casually about the Norwegian black metal scene of the early 90's and promotes extreme metal on his show RADIO FENRIZ. 

Here ITP has DARKTHRONE'S latest release "ETERNAL HAILS". 

 DARKTHRONE'S: "ETERNAL HAILS......"  kicks off with ."HIS MASTER'S VOICE",  a retro 70's rager, akin to old BLACK SABBATH. ."HIS MASTER'S VOICE" has an identifiable riff as about five minutes into the track, the band rage with some epic traditional doom, ala old CANDLEMASS. 

 DARKTHRONE'S "HATE CLOAK" is pure traditional doom as the track is raw, intimate with a spooky old school vibe. "NOCTURNO CULTO'S" vocals and driving riffs is the only trace of black metal to be found here. As DARKTHRONE'S "HATE CLOAK" progresses, different riffs paint a collage of the most sinister doom. .

 DARKTHRONE'S "WAKE OF THE AWAKENED" combine early CELTIC FROST influences with dark black metal. "WAKE OF THE AWAKENED'S" main melody drifts through the track before the duo change pace into some epic doom riffing. . "WAKE OF THE AWAKENED" features a whirlwind of diverse riffs, enough to feast on. 

 DARKTHRONE'S "VOYAGE TO A NORTH POLE ADRIFT" kicks off with a bluesy and definitive doom riff before seguing into another well written and melodic riff.  At 3:45 into "VOYAGE TO A NORTH POLE ADRIFT", the tempo speeds up with definitive metal riffing. 

DARKTHRONE'S "ETERNAL HAILS......"  closes with "LOST ARCANE CITY OF UPPAKRA"       a bluesy, doomy black and roll track. At 3:23 into "LOST ARCANE CITY OF UPPAKRA", DARKTHRONE'S "LOST ARCANE CITY OF UPPAKRA"  segues into an ambient excursion with melodic synths to close out the track. 

. The most recent pair of DARKTHRONE releases have experimented with retro traditional doom.

DARKTHRONE'S "ETERNAL HAILS......"  is an amalgamation of the bands influences. From BLACK SABBATH, CELTIC FROST to CANDLE MASS, SAINT VITUS and PENTAGRAM. 

DARKTHRONE stew all of their influences into a cauldron of well written blackened doom for an exquisite journey of retro tones from the 60's 70's 80's and 90's.  

Although DARKTHRONE'S "ETERNAL HAILS......" production  could of been cleaner. However,  low fi production has always been "Kult and necro" in the black metal scene as the production on "ETERNAL HAILS. fits the retro vibe. . 

Interesting to hear DARKTHRONE spread out from the raw, black metal we still adore.DARKTHRONE'S "ETERNAL HAILS. is so well written and composed with a ton of riffs to feed you,  it's impossible not to like this charming, insightful release. . . 

 

. ITP RATING: ****
PRODUCTION: *** 1/2
SONGWRITING: ****

PERFORMANCE: ****

 

  DARKTHRONE: "ETERNAL HAILS": 

https://spak-individualthoughtpatterns.blogspot.com/2021/06/darkthrone-streaming-eternal-hails-via.html 

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