:: Darkthrone - Dark Thrones And Black Flags

Darkthrone

Long running Norwegian black metal outfit Darkthrone certainly have been churning out the albums in recent years, with the band managing to release something new every year since 2003. Now in response to their ‘F.O.A.D. (F**k Off And Die)’ album from 2007, Darkthrone return with their fourteenth full-length effort ‘Dark Thrones And Black Flags’. No new Darkthrone album is without some subtle change or reaction from previous efforts, and ‘Dark Thrones And Black Flags’ is no exception. Although still retaining the blackened punk-like influences of their last couple of releases, and still adhering to the typically ‘lo-fi/necro’ like production sound that is evident on most of their albums, ‘Dark Thrones And Black Flags’ sees the band further refine their current sound, with the album possibly standing out as one of their strongest and more memorable releases in some time.

The opening track ‘The Winds They Called The Dungeon Shaker’ is a typical Darkthrone opener with plenty of catchy and dirty riffs and fast paced punk like drumming. But what really stands out is the chorus and the use of atmospherics prior to the leads in the latter half of the track. The thrashing ‘Death Of All Oaths (Oath Minus)’ is a definite stand out on the album with its evil and primitive production values, while ‘Blacksmith Of The North (Keep That Ancient Fire)’ and ‘Norway In September’ maintain the high standard with their varied structures and their overall creepy feel. Elsewhere, hints of doom can be heard in ‘Grizzly Trade’ and the short instrumental title track ‘Dark Thrones And Black Flags’, rock overtones in ‘Hanging Out In Haiger’, and a touch of death/punk within ‘Hiking Metal Punks’ and the closer ‘Witch Ghetto’. Darkthrone may not be breaking any new ground with ‘Dark Thrones And Black Flags’, but after a couple of okay releases, they’ve managed to refine their current sound into something a little more memorable, catchy and Darkthrone-like without losing their original spirit. And after more than twenty years together, you really wouldn’t expect anything more.