ITP V.022 REVIEW: DARKTHRONE: "ASTRAL FORTRESS"

 

BAND:DARKTHRONE (NORWAY)

GENRE: BLACK METAL

LABEL PEACEVILLE RECORDS

 RELEASE DATE: 10/28/2022

TITLE: "ASTRAL FORTRESS"

   PREVIOUS RELEASES (CATALOG): 

"ETERNAL HAILS..." ,  6/25/2021 via PEACEVILLE RECORDS. .

"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. .

 

 

.

 

 

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: "ASTRAL FORTRESS": TRACK LISTING:

1. "CARAVAN OF BROKEN GHOSTS"

2. "IMPECCABLE CAVERNS OF SATAN"

3. "STALAGMITE NECKLACE"

4. "THE SEA BENEATH THE SEAS OF THE SEA"

5. "KEVORKIAN TIMES"

6. "KOLBOTN, WEST OF THE VAST FORESTS

7. "EON 2"  : 

ITP RATING: *** 1/2

PRODUCTION: *** 1/2

SONGWRITING: ****

PERFORMANCE: ****

Twenty releases and 30 years into their career, Norwegian black metal legends DARKTHRONE have proven the tank that plows through the arctic snow still has plenty of gas. 

 Here ITP V.022 has DARKTHRONE'S new release "ASTRAL FORTRESS"  on tap to review. 

. DARKTHRONE'S "ASTRAL FORTRESS" kicks off with a beautiful acoustic intro for "CARAVAN OF BROKEN GHOSTS" as the track morphs into an intoxicating epic in three distinctive parts. 

At 3:03, "CARAVAN OF BROKEN GHOSTS". speeds up with chuggy, thrash riffs, seconds later seguing into more progressive territory..... 

At 6:34, "CARAVAN OF BROKEN GHOSTS" invokes heavy doom setting a dismal atmosphere with NOCTURNAL CULTO'S raspy vocals. 

DARKTHRONE'S "IMPECCABLE CAVERNS OF SATAN", enters in bombastic fashion with defined riffing and epic chords. While mid paced, "IMPECCABLE CAVERNS OF SATAN" brings on a nostalgic feel of 80's black metal melded with doomier passages. 

DARKTHRONE'S "STALAGMITE NECKLACE" invokes 70's (BLACK SABBATH) nostalgia with definitive riffing, keyboards and a lighter touch. 

DARKTHRONE'S longest track "THE SEA BENEATH THE SEAS OF THE SEA" opens in a slow doom pace before it picks up a few minutes in. "THE SEA BENEATH THE SEAS OF THE SEA" utilizes  progressive riffing as it crawls into consciousness. 

DARKTHRONE'S "KEVORKIAN TIMES" is a riff ola of blackened, death and roll that picks up the pace mid song and takes off into oblivion.

DARKTHRONE'S "KOLBOTN, WEST OF THE VAST FORESTS is a eerie instrumental piece, dark and disturbing. 

DARKTHRONE'S: "ASTRAL FORTRESS" closes with  "EON 2", as the track enters within epic, anthems of interesting riffs before slowing down to mid pace.  "EON 2" is mostly instrumental and nor featuring much in terms of vocals.Interesting track never the less.  

 DARKTHRONE'S "ASTRAL FORTRESS" is not only an extension of last years awesome "ETERNAL HAILS...", also a throwback to 70's progressive riffs with blackened early 80's tones... 

In parts  DARKTHRONE'S "ASTRAL FORTRESS" features some definitive riffing and a few good songs namely  "CARAVAN OF BROKEN GHOSTS",  "IMPECCABLE CAVERNS OF SATAN" and "STALAGMITE NECKLACE". 

The awkwardly entitled  "THE SEA BENEATH THE SEAS OF THE SEA" was supposed to be an epic but turned out way to long and meandering for my taste. 

 DARKTHRONE'S "ASTRAL FORTRESS" melds 70's nostalgia with progressive riffing, doom atmospheres with a blackened rasps.

 DARKTHRONE'S "ASTRAL FORTRESS"  is so steeped in the 70's that it was recorded analog and live for a natural feel, although I would prefer more compression on the vocals instead of the echo chamber sound. 

Thirty years and counting and transcending black metal,  DARKTHRONE are still enjoyable and KVLT all at the same time as they show no signs of slowing down.  . 

 . 

ITP RATING: *** 1/2

PRODUCTION: *** 1/2

SONGWRITING: ****

PERFORMANCE: ****

 DARKTHRONE: "ASTRAL FORTRESS":  . 

https://spak-individualthoughtpatterns.blogspot.com/2022/10/darkthrone-streaming-new-release-astral.html    : 

 

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

https://spak-individualthoughtpatterns.blogspot.com/2021/07/itp-v021-review-darkthrone-eternal-hails.html.    

ITP V.022 REVIEW: DARKTHRONE: "ASTRAL FORTRESS" by INDIVIDUAL THOUGHT PATTERNS V.022 (THERESA GETELES) is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
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Thanks-Stay Metal, Stay Brutal-\m/ -l-