Dark fucking Throne!

[Hubster]

If you were to say no one *popular* was using that approach I might agree, but it isn't like Darkthrone is the first band to play old school black metal in 20 years. Honestly, you come off as a raging fanboy throughout this thread

I like the band and I started the thread of course I'm a fan of them. They're not perfect, but I don't have much to complain about. At the same time, I can understand where you're coming from, I just don't agree with it. I like them a lot yes, but my bias is not absolute.

You know what I meant, and it does refer to the more popular bands. As a matter of interest though, name for me other bands who did what Darkthrone are doing now, since the second wave and not before it.

This is probably true, I hope I'm not coming off like this - I get what they're doing, I like the EP, I hate "modern" black metal as much as anyone. I'm just skeptical of the most important album of the decade claim, when what we have at heart is again, some fun self-aware retro metal.

Listen to the EP and album more. Analyse it more, I don't think you've listened to them enough. It's not as simple as labelling it retro/old school Black Metal - Darkthrone have been old school since the beginning.

The point is that as Dodens said, with TCIA and FOAD they have regressed even further back, and then combined that regression with their foundation of Black Metal which is less regressive. That is something new, and that is why I feel the album is so important because in today's standards, it's a pretty damned good analysis of your musical roots.

 

[thisisaformicatable]

You know what I meant, and it does refer to the more popular bands. As a matter of interest though, name for me other bands who did what Darkthrone are doing now, since the second wave and not before it.

This is largely what the idea of "black 'n roll" is about (a term which has and and will continue to be applied to new Darkthrone and bands musically similar). Retro thrash such as Toxic Holocaust follows in the Hellhammer/Bathory style, and then there's your Megiddo-type old school bands. The Darkthrone move to the old style isn't something coming out of nowhere, although they will surely be responsible for popularizing this revival (if we can/want to call it that).

The point is that as Dodens said, with TCIA and FOAD they have regressed even further back, and then combined that regression with their foundation of Black Metal which is less regressive. That is something new, and that is why I feel the album is so important because in today's standards, it's a pretty damned good analysis of your musical roots.

I hope you intend to discuss this more because I am having a hard time grasping what exactly you think their purpose and why, italicized it may be, you think this is so brilliant. I intend to listen to it further, of course - it was a fun release.

In a way they've been doing this all along I suppose. A motivation behind their work has always been to draw attention to the artists they emulate, from Bathory/Hellhammer/Celtic Frost to Klaus Schulze (Neptune Towers) and now back referencing Venom and various 1980s speed/thrash metal. Do you find this direction to be similar to (say) Neptune Towers?

 

[death metal black metal]

Darkthrone started out sounding very much like a doom-metal version of Dismember's first album.

Then we got Bathory years, then Celtic Frost, then total fucking garbage after Total Death, which sounded more like a comment on newer black metal.

I think what Fenriz means is that they never saw Darkthrone as a stylistic band, but were trying to make meaningful art within the style others pioneered. Style is not content.

 

[Alter]

This shows how serious you guys are taking Darkthrone. I think Fenriz would be sick at reading all this. The point is this.It is not Black Metal at this point. This is the same has debating about Unblack metal. If it sounds like black metal than its black metal. if it does not sound like black metal it is not black metal, and this record does not sound like black metal.

 

[Zephyrus]

Listening to Under A Funeral Moon.

I used to not like this album as much as the others, but lately I haven't been hitting the skip button so often when its songs come up on shuffle.

 

[Hubster]

This shows how serious you guys are taking Darkthrone. I think Fenriz would be sick at reading all this. The point is this.It is not Black Metal at this point. This is the same has debating about Unblack metal. If it sounds like black metal than its black metal. if it does not sound like black metal it is not black metal, and this record does not sound like black metal.

You can shout all you like, but it doesn't change the fact that you're not going to hear anything with your fingers stuck in your ears

 

[DarkBliss]

I used to not like this album as much as the others, but lately I haven't been hitting the skip button so often when its songs come up on shuffle.

Why don't you listen to the album as a whole? You get the full experience this way.

 

[Zephyrus]

Perhaps I'll do that. I tend to listen to full albums when I'm working on a single task, like translating Latin. But not today. I'm taking a break from metal today.

 

[Evil?]

I used to not like this album as much as the others, but lately I haven't been hitting the skip button so often when its songs come up on shuffle.

You fail.

Why don't you listen to the album as a whole? You get the full experience this way.

You win.

 

[KevenZ]

Exactly, and additionally their act is anti-trend, with today's trend being that of trying to be Black Metal. Quite honestly, I find Darkthrone are alone in the way the do things. They're becoming, or have become, unpredictable in their interests.

Dodens, if I end up in your neighbourhood in my travels, be sure to remind me to buy you a few drinks for that post. Well said.

Unlike many other bands (inclusive of the second wave itself), Darkthrone are not trying to sound Black Metal. They're mixing a belief with Heavy Metal, which is exactly what Venom and Bathory were doing in the first place.

Fenriz & Culto are making Black Metal in the same way that the pioneers did, and no one else today is using that approach because they're too busy trying to be tough.

Additionally, Fenriz & Culto's output of the last few years is starting to show, and dare I say it, maturity. Personally, I think they are at the peak of their creative powers and have been for a while.

The problem for many people who don't understand their motives, is that they get upset because Darkthrone aren't delivering the style of Black Metal they did back in the early 90s. That gets the majority of listeners upset because the modern(ish) version of Black metal is what they want.

Darkthrone is for the self, not for the fan of Darkthrone, but for the fan of true metal. Fenriz & Culto are simply sharing their music passion with other people, and because of their understanding of the second wave, being themselves pioneers, they are able to produce their influences in the strict Black Metal fashion. They seem to have an understanding which 99% of Black Metal bands today lack.

This is exactly what trendster would say. I listen to them because they don't give a fuck about their fans! wow.... no words on the music or whatever. I bet you like Metallica's St-Anger because it's a tribute to old stuff? or Slayer's Christ Illusion because it's supposed to be total Reign in Blood worship, you don't even like the songs on it, just the guy behind the instruments.

I think you are insane, I hope you'll realise it someday, I don't hate this album because it's not as good as TH, but because it's simply isn't good, whatever tribute they are trying to do. If you believe nowaday's black metal sucks then you are listening to the wrong bands maybe.

 

[Mort Divine]

HEY GUYS BURZUM RIPPED OFF STRID OLOL

 

[Vossyrus]

^

 

[ohiogrinder]

This shows how serious you guys are taking Darkthrone. I think Fenriz would be sick at reading all this. The point is this.It is not Black Metal at this point. This is the same has debating about Unblack metal. If it sounds like black metal than its black metal. if it does not sound like black metal it is not black metal, and this record does not sound like black metal.

Darkthrone still have a "hate christianity/hate everything" message that even the arguably black metal Venom had. Unblack metal doesn't.

 

[KevenZ]

HEYS GUYS ALCEST IZ THE BEST ALBUM OV THA YEARZ.

 

[Mort Divine]

Too bad that belongs to Reverend Bizarre.

 

[Alteredmindeath]

Culto is the spirit of Black metal, his voice is one of the best in the fucking scene. The new album sounds great so far, its party music for burning down churches and dancing with the devil as always.

 

[MasterOLightning]

Exactly, and additionally their act is anti-trend, with today's trend being that of trying to be Black Metal. Quite honestly, I find Darkthrone are alone in the way the do things. They're becoming, or have become, unpredictable in their interests.

Unlike many other bands (inclusive of the second wave itself), Darkthrone are not trying to sound Black Metal. They're mixing a belief with Heavy Metal, which is exactly what Venom and Bathory were doing in the first place.

Fenriz & Culto are making Black Metal in the same way that the pioneers did, and no one else today is using that approach because they're too busy trying to be tough.

I'm not really buying this part of your argument. A significant part of the really popular black metal bands right now are not at all "trying to be Black Metal" or "tough". To name a few, releases like Blood In Our Wells, or Fas - Ite..., contain many elements never associated with the second wave. Others like Alcest couldn't be less tough. These are the bands getting attention, and they basically are BM for lack of a better term, not due to any significant stylistic similarity to first or second wave black metal.

It's seems silly when people make such a big deal out of Darkthrone's "fuck you" attitude. I bet 50,000 out of the 51,000 metal bands that have existed have/had a "fuck you" attitude. That's what metal is. Except most of those guys are working in warehouses or whatever because their bands didn't get anywhere.

I bet Malefic has that attitude too. Because he doesn't give a fuck, he makes the music he wants to make. Even if it's the same album over and over. Yet no one goes on and on and on about how it's cool that he doesn't give a fuck about trends or what others think. I could say the same for thousands of bands, yet it keeps coming up with Darkthrone above all else.

Ihsahn said "Fuck you Samoth. We're not going to play black metal anymore, so I don't need you." Yet no one extols Ihsahn for being a rebel who makes his own rules. No one thought Prometheus was really cool.

I guess all the promo photos are working wonders for Darkthrone.

 

[Vossyrus]

I think a lot of the 'fuck you' attitude Darkthrone has is directed towards their fanbase, as well as so-called 'purists' of the genre. These people almost expect black metal, to be black metal by definition which is a characteristic still very common among most bands today. Much of the black metal scene aren't doing anything to develop the scene, they are essentially just taking every cliche and genre idiosyncrasy and running with it. Bands who are playing such a style by absolute definition, well I find that to be completely ironic given what black metal originally stood for. The so-called 'spirit' of black metal today exists hardly, because you've got bands who are more or less adopting this, as opposed to 'living' it. How can you release your own expression when you are placing limits on it yourself, or are using a 'guideline' that hinders your own potential, of course there are exceptions.

Now bands like Drudkh, or Deathspell Omega aren't receiving the criticism that Darkthrone is. I mean, almost 15 years have past and people are still expecting a Transilvanian Hunger part two, and everything subsequently Darkthrone related must endure this naive bit of criticism. Just read any review on F.O.A.D. and it's pathetic that people's main issue with the new album is simply that it isn't black metal. In a situation like this, I admire Darkthrone for turning their backs, and saying 'fuck off' as if they've ever cared - this characteristic made them what they are in the first place. They are still very much the same Darkthrone as they've always been but people don't seem to realize it.

 

[hibernal_dream]

In a situation like this, I admire Darkthrone for turning their backs, and saying 'fuck off' as if they've ever cared - this characteristic made them what they are in the first place. They are still very much the same Darkthrone as they've always been but people don't seem to realize it.

Come on. This is what I have a problem with - their attitude. It's no different from when Children of Bodom wrote "I don't give a fuck if you Hate Me!" - well Alexi, obviously you do care if you felt the need to write a song about it. It's childish and alcoholic behavior to tell your fans to fuck off, and putting it into your own music is solipsistic. Last album the first line was "nothing to prove" - if so, save us the trouble and stop releasing your music. Just play in your garage. Trying to show that they don't care actually shows they are offended by comments against them, and they're trying to pat themselves on the back by saying they don't care. Yes Darkthrone, you do care - otherwise you would not release music, so stop acting as if you don't.

Too old, Too cold - that sums up Darkthrone today, and the band knows it

 

[Vossyrus]

Come on. This is what I have a problem with - their attitude. It's no different from when Children of Bodom wrote "I don't give a fuck if you Hate Me!" - well Alexi, obviously you do care if you felt the need to write a song about it. It's childish and alcoholic behavior to tell your fans to fuck off, and putting it into your own music is solipsistic. Last album the first line was "nothing to prove" - if so, save us the trouble and stop releasing your music. Just play in your garage. Trying to show that they don't care actually shows they are offended by comments against them, and they're trying to pat themselves on the back by saying they don't care. Yes Darkthrone, you do care - otherwise you would not release music, so stop acting as if you don't.

Too old, Too cold - that sums up Darkthrone today, and the band knows it

But their success was in part due to their adherent 'fuck you' attitude, otherwise they could have had easily jumped aboard the death metal bandwagon that was in order to obtain popularity and easy success. They never did, and instead they helped develop the genre that became what black metal is today. Now people are calling them on it. They aren't just a band, they are a significant band in the metal's history. They've stayed truthful to themselves, that's all that matters amid all the stupid criticism.

And criticizing the band for releasing music? You can look at any underground black metal band and ask them why they are releasing music to the public in the first place just the same, I mean if they're such misanthropes. And hey, it's like saying people don't have to listen to Darkthrone if they don't like them.