At this era DARKTHRONE was beginning to be more of an institution than a cult, advertising here themselves as the “Most Hated Band in the World” on the basis of all the boycotts they have suffered. Also their style starts to suffer from diffusion both on the grounds of their image/extra-musical aspects and music; Fenriz gets enthusiastic about space trance synths, Norwegian folk music, befriends Satyr, rejects nazi connotations even when less then a year ago had claimed to be playing “Norsk Arisk Svart Metall”…

This album carries a feel of conclusion – the lyric “Hordes of Nebulah” is from the era of their first album, Fenriz’ inimitable cosmical-psychedelic satanism; musically “Triumphant Gleam” is more blatant CELTIC FROST worship than even “In the Shadow of the Horns” on their second album was; “En Vind av Sorg” could be from the previous album “Transilvanian Hunger”; “Quintessence” pays homage to Viking mythology both in the lyrical side contributed by Varg and in the unique Celtic-Frost-meets-norse-folk composition. Still ugly and raw, a bit confused, totally DARKTHRONE and totally Norwegian.

© 2000 black hate