Production: Static-free, slightly muddy guitar tone. Drums are clear and unremarkable.
Review: Continuing Darkthrone‘s recent series of forcing anachronistic albums, all traces of black metal have been stripped from this album. Fenriz’ tracks consist of the same relentlessly bouncy riffs over which unbearably clean vocals are belted. Nocturno Culto’s are differentiated only by slightly heavier vocals.
Nothing on this album is unique; if you’ve listened to 70s and 80s metal to any extent, you will know these riffs. Devoid of originality, this album could have been recorded by any nameless metal band.
Whatever motivated these musicians to release such toweringly monumental works in their earlier careers has clearly been lost. At a certain point, the creative spark burns out and all that’s left is talent but no sense of urgency or spirit, which is how albums like this are created. Like junk food, at first glance it appears edible but afterwards leaves you feeling slightly nauseous and unfulfilled.
It’s a hard life as a musician. Skip out on school, practice your instruments instead. Record the coolest stuff you can think of. Then, recognize you got screwed by the record company. Start your own. Dedicate your life to it, even more time than your Dad spent on his boring job. Now your music is not a joy, it’s a job. Repeat until you retire or die.
I quite heartily disagree with this review. It might not be original, but it’s full of spirit and energy, which makes it relevant no matter how retro it may be.
Yeah, I don’t care if it’s retro either. The problem is that it also is uninspired. The recent Angel Witch album is a comparison that floors this one.
Shucks, I don’t care if they steal ALL of their riffs from other bands. They just have to make a good album. This is directionless and lukewarm. It hurts to see (hear).
Disagree! Went into this album with very low expectations based on their last few albums, but ended up loving it. I typically don’t like throwback stuff but I think they managed to create something fresh and strong with this. If you’re still lamenting the turn from black metal then I don’t know what to tell you. Highly recommended.
I don’t care what kind of music they make, so long as it’s as good as older Darkthrone. If they made a tribute to ABBA and it was good I’d prefer it to this half-ass retro-metal.
Goddamn I hate this motherfuckers vocals now, just fucking stupid sounding.
lol, shitthrone trying to be Manilla Road. Definitely not feeling it
probably the least inspired thing they’ve ever done. no one would give this a second look if it didn’t have darkthrone’s name on it.
not surprised by how bad it is, but it is disappointing when you look over the long term where they were compared to where they are now.
I think Darkthrone lost it after ‘Hate Them’. This was their last inspired album. Everything else went downhill and we now have a band on autopilot, ripping-off older bands instead of being inspired and paying homage to them.
Painfully true. Not as painful as listening to this album. It’s half-ass. For any other band, this would be an Ok album but for Darkthrone, it’s like they have just put their brains on hold. It doesn’t sound like they spent much time on it either.
Darkthrone’s latest effort is a total mess, like everything Fenriz and Nocturno Culto have recorded since Total Death.This is no longer the same band that gave us Under a Funeral Moon and Transylvanian Hunger. They’re stuck in the eighties, and can someone say to Fenriz to stop signing?
Quack!
This is a far shittier version of I (between two worlds) combined with tankard.
Can’t believe anyone on the planet would consider this good in any way.
All traces and names of a Cult of Black Witches have been lost, because The Dark Angel of Death hates them, and forced them onto the Dark side of the Moon.