A DARKTHRONE post and the new OLD STAR album

Darkthrone has announced that their new album Old Star will be release on May the 31st by Peaceville Records. I immediately pre-ordered the black LP edition as soon as the e-mail got to me.

Without any doubt Darkthrone is clearly the band after Marduk that takes up most space in my entire collection of LP's and CD's. Here in this post is my Darkthrone studio album vinyls.

Excluded all the compilation, EP and 7” releases. Some of my records are 1st prints but many reissues especially the ones that are crazy expensive nowadays.

My vinyl collection is based on having the cover artwork from the original CD/LP release. It's not that I dislike all those Peaceville LP reissues that completely alters the cover artwork. But I only want what I grew up buying even if not all covers got changed by Peaceville.

For the 2 x CD releases with audio commentary by Fenriz and/or Nocturno Culto I don't care about the artwork though.

Those CD's are definitely something any die-hard Darkthrone fan should own because they are very informative and entertaining.

There's also some minor color changes on the ones I have. Goatlord is probably the one that differ most from the original CD release on Moonfog Productions in 1996. That one has a much brighter blue color. It wasn't released officially on vinyl until 2002 though and Moonfog changed to a much darker color.

2 years ago on my Instagram account I began to rank all the Darkthrone full length albums. The task proved more daunting than expected so I only did 2 or 3 posts.

Mainly because after my top-6, that I still 100% back up, it gets too difficult. Some bands records are extremely hard to put in order from best to “worst”. Darkthrone being one of them Burzum being another example.

Anyway if someone is interested my top-6 now and then:

1. Panzerfaust (1995)
2. A Blaze In The Northern Sky (1992)
3. Under A Funeral Moon (1993)
4. Transilvanian Hunger (1994)
5. Total Death (1996)
6. Ravishing Grimness (1999)

If I had to pick a 7th one it would be divided between so many records it's not worth mentioning. However when we get closer to the release of Old Star I might go in depth with these 6.

Ever since Old Star was announced I been lost in a total Darkthrone music phase. My go to albums aren’t those 6 albums on the list except for A Blaze In The Northern Sky and Total Death. Have heard all those 6 records to death but those two I have been listening to very much lately also been into:

Plaguewielder (2001)

Nocturno Culto composed all music except for 1 song. A total gem!

Hate Them (2003)

Always liked this one so many amazing songs & riffs.

Goatlord (1996)

Hesitated to include it among their studio albums. Everyone should know the story behind the 1996 record. Still a very unique Darkthrone release.

Dark Thrones And Black Flags (2008)

This one is brilliant and one of their most underrated records.

Arctic Thunder (2016)

Such a great one I really hope they will top this with Old Star.

2 months feels very far away from now but I can’t wait to hear what Fenriz & Nocturno Culto will deliver this time.

My ISENGARD tattoo - a tribute to FENRIZ and the mid 90's NORWEGIAN BLACK METAL scene

The tattoo was done by @fifthson78 on Instagram or visit his page at www.fifthson.com thanks for the excellent work once again man and the great conversation. He also did my Wardruna bind rune tattoo.

The inspiration can be found inside the CD-booklet of the Høstmørke (1995) album that I bought the year it was released. It’s also the pendant you see Fenriz wear on the cover of the album still to this day he's wearing it on pictures and in videos I've seen.

Choose not to include the quote: "Death is certain, life is not"? It's not that I don't like the meaning of that but I don't want any quote on my arms. The symbol is the main thing in my opinion also my right arm is dedicated to Norse/Pagan tattoos and my left for more Dark/Satanic stuff.

Although I’m a huge Darkthrone fan I got all their full length studio albums both on LP and most of them also on CD.

This image symbolizes my favorite years of Fenriz music. The classic Moonfog era during the mid 90's.

The releases he did with Isengard, Darkthrone, Storm, Dødheimsgard and also the Vallhall and Neptune Towers ones were all of such class at the time of their release. They all became classic albums immediately and yes I'm aware all those weren't released on Moonfog Productions.

Because of mainly the 3 first bands I mentioned I began a hunt for finding everything Fenriz related in 1995/96 on CD. For instance that's how I stumbled across the Kronet Till Konge (1995) album and even if I don't play the two Neptune Towers albums regularly. They both have a very deep nostalgic factor for me and in the right "mind/mood" they are a great soundtrack. Even if there's admittedly both better Ambient Black Metal bands and albums.

Don’t get me wrong! I like all the albums that I own from 2000 to now that involves Fenriz. Well maybe not where he does just a guest appearance. Isengard is by far my favorite side project he's ever done and certainly one of the very best in the entire scene in the 90's. I would almost put Isengard as high up as I do Darkthrone.

Always say my favorite album is Høstmørke but my go to Isengard album is actually the debut compilation Vinterskugge (1994). It’s so diverse and during its 64.5 minutes there isn’t anything I would change.

Sure even Høstmørke shows signs of different styles with songs like Thornspawn Chalice and Total Death being straight forward Black Metal while the 5 other songs has a Folk/Pagan Metal feeling which one most associate Isengard with.

However on Vinterskugge that's categorized in 3 chapters. The first chapter Vandreren (1993) songs 1 to 7 has everything from Folk/Pagan Metal on for instance Nagelfar or Vinterskugge and many more. Also a ambient song In The Halls And Chambers Of Stardust The Crystallic Heavens Open and the primitive Black Metal on Ut I Vannets Dyp Hvor Mørket Hviler.

On chapter II songs 8 to 12 Spectres Over Gorgoroth (1989) is from the Isengard demo it has a Death Metal feeling with Doom and Black Metal influences. All are great and I'm so glad they were included and that they didn't just release the 1993 recordings.

Chapter III Horizons songs 13-16 from 1991 (some recorded later) are definitely the weirdest but so fucking brilliant. The Fog incorporates Black and Death Metal, Storm Of Evil is almost like Folk Metal with 70's rock also some Punk in that one.

Bergtrollets Gravferd a ambient song with a very ominous dark feeling. Despite its title that I associate more with the Viking/Folk it's the most Satanic sounding song on the album. I can only think of Mortiis with Vond on Selvmord (1994) that could do something as brilliant with a Ambient song to get that darkness into it. Even if I'm by far not an expert on every record out there.

Then the ending Our Lord Will Come which by far is one of the weirdest songs Fenriz ever recorded in the 90's. It's dark and weird 70's evil sounding Rock with Doom Metal and with an even a more ominous feeling then the previous one in parts.

Although amazing throughout the first 7 songs are my favorites on Vinterskugge closely followed by the 4 ending songs which are so fucking great. Like I said would not change anything on this album.

I think to everyone's surprise in 2016 Peaceville released the Traditional Doom Cult 7" vinyl with 2 songs. The Light from the autumn of 1989 and The Fright from early 1990. Both would've fitted well with the rest of the material on the Vinterskugge album.

But with 16 songs already it might been too many songs for that album. Both The Light and The Fright is in the same vein as the Our Lord Will Come song. Not as evil/ominous sounding but still great. I would be very glad if more stuff like this was released.

Do I want Fenriz to resurrect Isengard? No that ship sailed a long time ago. Around 1996-97 both Darkthrone and Fenriz music didn't have that same spirit in my opinion. Even if brilliant records like the criminally underrated Total Death (1996), Ravishing Grimness (1999), Arctic Thunder (2016) etc. was and are still being released.

Was recommended the split Engangsgrill (2009) he did with Nattefrost of Carpathian Forest etc. where the 3 first songs is called Fenriz' Red Planet would be in the same vein as Isengard. The recording dates back to 1993 but doesn't have that Isengard magic to it. The songs are basically 70's primitive Rock with Doom/Stoner influences although not bad, not amazing either but worth buying.

Vinterskugge was actually the first Norwegian Black Metal CD that I ever laid my eyes on. Remember a friend I had back then borrowed it from a friends boyfriend or something like that. He actually didn't got into the scene like me and my other friends did. You got to know this is something like 25 years ago. So my memory isn't quite clear on how or where he borrowed the CD from...

But I'm definitely 100% certain it was Vinterskugge Do believe we listened to it together and knew it was a side project but it wasn't a great start for my Black Metal journey. That would begin just a few months later with Emperor and In The Nightside Eclipse (1994) album.

By the way where do you think I got the inspiration for using Herr in front of all my names I use online? Of course its from the Nordavind (1995) album by Storm where Fenriz labels himself as Herr Nagell.

Actually I’m not one for meeting famous Black Metal artists and sure I've stumble across some during my 39 years of living. But Fenriz is one guy I would like to buy a beer/drink and just chitchat with for some hours about music. Would he enjoy that? Probably not...

Anyway I’m so satisfied with my Fenriz 90’s tribute. Don’t know what I would choose to tribute the last 19 years work by him I could definitely come up with something.

But my next tattoo project will be something Bathory related. Nothing's decided yet also which era I would choose. There are so many possibilities I could take with that also.

Thanks again to Johannes @Fifthson78 for a brilliant work and also one Herr Gylve Nagell for the inspiration.

25th ANNIVERSARY FOR SO MANY ALBUMS THIS YEAR....

Instead of me doing a post each time an album turns 25 years I'll do the MOST significant records in one post alone. Well I might do a separate post in December for The Somberlain because of the path that album lead me to in 1994.

There's so many albums that I will just focus on my 9 favorites. I also disqualified compilations and live records which I usually do anyway for these kind of posts. So no Live In Leipzig by Mayhem that one was also recorded in 1990 and was circled around in the scene long before its official LP release in 1993. I'll save that one for a separate post.

This isn't a list of my top-9 albums in some particular order, sure some records are better then others, but to list them all would be too much of a hassle. So in NO PARTICULAR order the best Black Metal and Death Metal albums of 1993:

Dissection - The Somberlain

Okay already breaking my word but out of these 9 it's the best album that I can say for a fact. Usually I will say that I prefer Storm of the Light's Bane (1995) but whenever I hear The Somberlain all the memories of this one comes back. It's so perfect is the only word that can describe it.

I know this album inside out, can probably hear just 2 seconds of any song at any moment and know immediately what song it is. I listened to this one so much in my young teenage room and while drinking beer with friends to this day. Also remembering having it on repeat while reading all of The Lord of the Rings and Tolkien's other books.

Morbid Angel - Covenant

I love the Altars Of Madness; Blessed Are The Sick; Domination and Abominations Of Desolation records but Covenant is without any doubt my favorite Morbid Angel album. It's also my favorite Death Metal record of all time. Sure that The Somberlain had much Death Metal influences but that one I associate more with the Black Metal scene.

Anyway with Covenant I think the band made their best one all songs are amazing. The order those songs are placed on the record is also perfected from the fast opening Rapture until the end with God of Emptiness one gets onto a journey of Death Metal supreme. I could talk about every song here but I got so much more to write about.

Burzum - Det Som Engang Var

Once I fully understood this albums awesomeness it became a 10 out of 10 album. Recently did a long post about this record. This have become my go to album in the Burzum discography during the last couple of years, sure Filosofem (1996) is better, but this one is still a great genre defying record.

 Marduk - Those of the Unlight

The 2nd Marduk album is also my 2nd favorite Marduk album of all time and was the 2nd Marduk release I ever bought. It's very different from the debut Dark Endless (1992) and the followup Opus Nocturne (1994). I just think that Those of the Unlight sounds like a very unique record in their vast discography. No other album sounds like it in the entire Marduk catalog, sure every record has it own sound but this one is very special.

The first Marduk longsleeve I ever bought was actually a Those of the Unlight shirt. With "Death To Peace" and "War At Last" on the sleeves, on the back the dragon that can be seen inside the original CD booklet and the text written on the last page.

Dismember - Indecent And Obscene

Not as good as the Dismember debut album Like An Everflowing Stream (1991) but still a brilliant Death Metal album. Have probably listened to this one as much as the debut. Actually put Indecent And Obscene at number 9 of my best Death Metal albums of all time and I still think it was a right decision made months ago.

The band had really progressed since the 2 years since their debut album at the time I did actually prefer Clandestine (1991) by Entombed. That's still a great a record but a couple of months after the release of Indecent And Obscene my opinion changed and Dismember became my favorite band.

Immortal - Pure Holocaust

My favorite album by Immortal. At the time and already as early as on their 2nd album it's so very amazingly refined. The sound, the structure of the songs and the lyrics are all so brilliant. If I was to introduce anyone what Black Metal is I would probably choose this one and about 3-4 more.

Not saying that Pure Holocaust is in my top-4 Black Metal albums but if I ever made such a list it would rank high.

Darkthorne - Under A Funeral Moon

Another amazing release and a timeless classic in the genre, however not my favorite Darkthrone record. Still in my top-3 of their albums though. If I remember correctly it was the fourth album by Darkthrone I bought (maybe third) sometime in the mid 90's.

I was such a big fan of everything that Fenriz was associated with back then, I still am, but back then I wanted every record he ever appeared on it was how I discovered many great albums. But about Under A Funeral Moon it is so great that I cannot even pick out any favorite songs because they are all amazing.

Emperor - Emperor EP

I was a huge fan of Emperor in the 90's (still am) but getting a hold of the Emperor/Enslaved split CD on Candlelight Records wasn't easy in the mid 90's. Believe it was during a Stockholm trip it was bought or if I mail ordered it, not certain though. All 4 songs appears on the In The Nightside Eclipse (1994) album and I had heard those to death so this was a great find when I finally got it.

Some prefer the Emperor EP versions of the songs. Myself like the album versions better might be much thanks to the nostalgia I got for In The Nightside Eclipse which were the first album from the Norwegian Black Metal scene that I ever bought. A brilliant 20 min Black Metal EP that everyone should own.

Enslaved - Hordanes Land EP

The first Enslaved album I bought was Frost (1994) actually the Emperor/Enslaved split CD was bought much thanks to Emperor. But to get the Hordanes Land EP  was a great bonus and it was played as much as the Emperor EP. One definitely gets one's money's worth with that split release just Hordanes Land alone is almost 31 min long.

I can never figure out which one is my favorite Enslaved release sometimes it's Frost (1994) then again Vikingligr Veldi (1994) is also amazing and whenever I listen too Eld (1997) I'm reminded how awesome that one is. Maybe Hordanes Land is my favorite after all?


There are MANY honorable mentions!! However non mentioned non forgotten. Could've done a part II or my 20 favorites and I'm already breaking my promise... Both Unanimated and Carcass were almost included. But for Instagram posts the symmetry is better with 9 where I usually post all the stuff you see here. Many of the albums I didn't buy on CD back in 1993 because I was more into the Death and Thrash Metal scene at the time. 

Dismember, Morbid Angel, Slayer, Entombed, Kreator and Unleashed were probably my favorite bands at the time many of these was released. But all that changed when I found out about Dissection and the masterful The Somberlain (yeah I know Metal of Death). It was thanks too that I started getting an interest for the Scandinavian Black Metal scene.

Anyway that was my favorite 9 releases of 1993. It's most for fun I do these posts and opinions can always change, but did list about a month ago and I still stand behind the choices I made.