This is the last album of Darkthrone's Unholy Black Metal "trilogy". To me this association is unavoidable, as their first three Black Metal albums are like a progressive work of art (if any useless proof of this is needed, then consider the cover-themes). The process of degeneration has reached its peak, and what depths of emptiness and evil have been reached!

Cold, empty, evil, monotonous and dead (Emperor pretentiously used the word "necro" for the sound of their "Wrath of the Tyrant" but if there is a commercial black metal album whose sound could be described as Necro, it is this one!). This may be totally produced and manufactured, but they managed to get the effect they wanted (if you think that to get something by accident is more "honest" and "true" than knowing what you want and setting your intent at getting there, then you can fuck off). The compositions are nothing but a repetition of empty riffs. The sound could just as well be filled with noise; even replaced by it.

Vocals are now humanly uninspired (filled with the void of Satan). Half of the lyrics have been written by Varg Vikernes (the other half by Skald av Satans Sol).

By the way, the picture of Fenriz on the cover of this album is for one reason or another a whole lot more inspiring than the pictures of Zephyrous or Nocturno Culto in the earlier ones.

"beholding the son recrucified, beholding gods race browbeaten / beholding the devastation of all morals built by them"

© 2001 rotblood