Tier 1-The Masterworks
1. Transilvanian Hunger- Minimalism perfected. This record is lifelessness expressed through the living. It's as if Darkthrone are mere surrogates for a cold and foreign force. The drums basically repeat the same droning pattern from start to finish, creating a hypnotizing ambiance. The riffs are strange and twisted, sounding simultaneously majestic and grotesque. The cold, emotionless vocals sound as if they're coming from the atrophied mouth a corpse. While this record has been imitated countless times thanks to its simple song structures and lo-fi production, it's chilling, detached execution is virtually unparalleled. No other record sounds so inhumane, in the truest sense of the word. Said succinctly, Transilvanian Hunger is music devoid of the human form of life.
2. A Blaze in the Northern Sky- This record has a spirit and energy like no other. It is free, cathartic, and wild, as if drunk on a new found love for evil. That aesthetic is reflected in the compositions, with plenty of strange song structures and sudden shifts in tone, mood, and tempo. It is further reflected in the performances, especially in Fenriz's relentless drumming and Nocturo Culto's wild howls. Yet, all these risks work. Each track is distinct, blazing it's own trail through the darkest of skies, yet the ecstatic vivacity of the permanence unifies the record.
3. Under a Funeral Moon- Under a Funeral Moon is as vile and primitive as they come. The raw production lends a cavernous tone to the record. That's the perfect tone for this collection of droning, buzzsaw riffs and crude, tribal drum patterns. While there are still a few of the dynamic twists found on A Blaze in the Northern Sky (i.e. "Summer of the Diabolical Holocaust") the songwriting is approaching the sparse minimalism of Transilvanian Hunger. However, Under a Funeral Moon is it's own monster. Unlike the ultra-detached aura of Transilvanian Hunger, Under a Funeral Moon seethes a cruel and vicious bloodlust.
4. Panzerfaust- Panzerfaust lives up to it's name. This record is a full frontal attack, with Nocturno Culto unleashing absolutely vile vocals that dominate the mix. The songs are divided between more throttling, Celtic Frost inspired tracks and hypnotic black metal in the vein of Transilvanian Hunger. Regardless of the style, each track hits its target.
Tier 2- Good Shit
5. Ravishing Grimness-Very strong songwriting and riff-craft throughout. Slightly longer compositions with a series of progressions that are carefully tied together. “The Claws of Time” is their best post-Panzerfaust song.
6. The Underground Resistance- A way more creative and engaging form of retro metal from Darkthrone. The songs are epic and provide an interesting mix of thrash, doom, and viking metal. “Valkyrie” is their best song in over a decade and “Leave no Cross Unturned” is an excellent epic that justifies its length. An easy choice for the “Their Best Album Since” award.
7. Goatlord- Such a wonderfully weird creation. There is far more energy in the performance and far more inspiration in the songwriting then there was on Soulside Journey. The vocals are indeed weird, but they really work to create an otherworldly atmosphere on this Frankenstein record.
8. Sardonic Wrath- Not too different from Hate Them: high energy, straightforward black metal. Really, the only thing that sets it ahead of its predecessor is the final two tracks. “Hate is the Law” is arguably Darkthrone's best punk-influenced track.
9. Arctic Thunder- Darkthrone’s most black metal album in over a decade. Darker, more bleak, and more rugged than their recent works. There are some beastly riffs on this album, while other tracks are a bit more run-of-the-mill. Overall, not a very adventurous album, but a nice “welcome home” record. Also, as random note, the album title sounds like the name of a gum flavor or deodorant scent.
10. Circle the Wagons- Easily, the best “punkthrone” era album (I know… it’s much more influenced by traditional metal, Motorhead and Celtic Frost than it is by punk, but “punkthrone” a lot catchier). There’s the highest number of stellar tracks (i.e. the title track, “Those Treasures Will Never Befall You” and “Stylized Corpse” [which actually has an interesting song structure]) and the fewest number of dumb tracks (just “I am the Grave of the 80s” and “I am the Working Class”). Darkthrone seems a little more comfortable in the style, so the songs come off as more natural and less like “look how retro we are!”
11. Total Death- A massive letdown considering the previous four albums (excluding Goatlord), but it’s still a strong black metal album taken in and of itself. “Earth’s Last Picture” and “Ravnajuv” are stellar pieces of black metal and the rest of the tracks are all at least solid. That said, it clearly lacks the imagination of predecessors.
12. Hate Them- Darkthrone were starting to sound a little stale by Plagueweilder and consequently, they stripped down their sound on Hate Them. This is a very straight forward and energetic record. The songwriting is a little basic, but solid enough. Save the chorus of “Striving for a Piece of Lucifer,” little stands out.
Tier 3- Meh
13. Plagueweilder- There’s nothing bad about this album, and the compositions are actually fairly interesting. However, the performance lacks heart and energy. Also, the riffs, while solid, are fairly boilerplate. Nothing really imaginative, distinct, or exemplary here.
14. Soulside Journey- Just way too austere. Very little stands out from it and very little resonates. An album I’ve learned to countless times, but still couldn’t point out more than a few standout moments.
Tier 4- PBR
15. F.O.A.D.- Fairly unimaginative hero-worship. Some of the tracks have absolutely awful lyrics (“hey, we’re cool cuz we like 80s metal!”). Shit I would expect from teenagers trying to prove themselves, not grown-ass men. That said, there are enough strong riffs scattered throughout the album, and the energy level is high, making for a listenable record.
16. The Cult is Alive- Read notes on F.O.A.D. Black metal elements remain fairly prevalent in comparison to the next three albums. “Graveyard Slut” is the worst Darkthrone song ever.
17. Dark Thrones and Black Flags- Read notes on F.O.A.D. However, at least the other “punkthrone” records have at least a few tracks that stand out. This one really doesn’t have any.
1. Transilvanian Hunger- Minimalism perfected. This record is lifelessness expressed through the living. It's as if Darkthrone are mere surrogates for a cold and foreign force. The drums basically repeat the same droning pattern from start to finish, creating a hypnotizing ambiance. The riffs are strange and twisted, sounding simultaneously majestic and grotesque. The cold, emotionless vocals sound as if they're coming from the atrophied mouth a corpse. While this record has been imitated countless times thanks to its simple song structures and lo-fi production, it's chilling, detached execution is virtually unparalleled. No other record sounds so inhumane, in the truest sense of the word. Said succinctly, Transilvanian Hunger is music devoid of the human form of life.
2. A Blaze in the Northern Sky- This record has a spirit and energy like no other. It is free, cathartic, and wild, as if drunk on a new found love for evil. That aesthetic is reflected in the compositions, with plenty of strange song structures and sudden shifts in tone, mood, and tempo. It is further reflected in the performances, especially in Fenriz's relentless drumming and Nocturo Culto's wild howls. Yet, all these risks work. Each track is distinct, blazing it's own trail through the darkest of skies, yet the ecstatic vivacity of the permanence unifies the record.
3. Under a Funeral Moon- Under a Funeral Moon is as vile and primitive as they come. The raw production lends a cavernous tone to the record. That's the perfect tone for this collection of droning, buzzsaw riffs and crude, tribal drum patterns. While there are still a few of the dynamic twists found on A Blaze in the Northern Sky (i.e. "Summer of the Diabolical Holocaust") the songwriting is approaching the sparse minimalism of Transilvanian Hunger. However, Under a Funeral Moon is it's own monster. Unlike the ultra-detached aura of Transilvanian Hunger, Under a Funeral Moon seethes a cruel and vicious bloodlust.
4. Panzerfaust- Panzerfaust lives up to it's name. This record is a full frontal attack, with Nocturno Culto unleashing absolutely vile vocals that dominate the mix. The songs are divided between more throttling, Celtic Frost inspired tracks and hypnotic black metal in the vein of Transilvanian Hunger. Regardless of the style, each track hits its target.
Tier 2- Good Shit
5. Ravishing Grimness-Very strong songwriting and riff-craft throughout. Slightly longer compositions with a series of progressions that are carefully tied together. “The Claws of Time” is their best post-Panzerfaust song.
6. The Underground Resistance- A way more creative and engaging form of retro metal from Darkthrone. The songs are epic and provide an interesting mix of thrash, doom, and viking metal. “Valkyrie” is their best song in over a decade and “Leave no Cross Unturned” is an excellent epic that justifies its length. An easy choice for the “Their Best Album Since” award.
7. Goatlord- Such a wonderfully weird creation. There is far more energy in the performance and far more inspiration in the songwriting then there was on Soulside Journey. The vocals are indeed weird, but they really work to create an otherworldly atmosphere on this Frankenstein record.
8. Sardonic Wrath- Not too different from Hate Them: high energy, straightforward black metal. Really, the only thing that sets it ahead of its predecessor is the final two tracks. “Hate is the Law” is arguably Darkthrone's best punk-influenced track.
9. Arctic Thunder- Darkthrone’s most black metal album in over a decade. Darker, more bleak, and more rugged than their recent works. There are some beastly riffs on this album, while other tracks are a bit more run-of-the-mill. Overall, not a very adventurous album, but a nice “welcome home” record. Also, as random note, the album title sounds like the name of a gum flavor or deodorant scent.
10. Circle the Wagons- Easily, the best “punkthrone” era album (I know… it’s much more influenced by traditional metal, Motorhead and Celtic Frost than it is by punk, but “punkthrone” a lot catchier). There’s the highest number of stellar tracks (i.e. the title track, “Those Treasures Will Never Befall You” and “Stylized Corpse” [which actually has an interesting song structure]) and the fewest number of dumb tracks (just “I am the Grave of the 80s” and “I am the Working Class”). Darkthrone seems a little more comfortable in the style, so the songs come off as more natural and less like “look how retro we are!”
11. Total Death- A massive letdown considering the previous four albums (excluding Goatlord), but it’s still a strong black metal album taken in and of itself. “Earth’s Last Picture” and “Ravnajuv” are stellar pieces of black metal and the rest of the tracks are all at least solid. That said, it clearly lacks the imagination of predecessors.
12. Hate Them- Darkthrone were starting to sound a little stale by Plagueweilder and consequently, they stripped down their sound on Hate Them. This is a very straight forward and energetic record. The songwriting is a little basic, but solid enough. Save the chorus of “Striving for a Piece of Lucifer,” little stands out.
Tier 3- Meh
13. Plagueweilder- There’s nothing bad about this album, and the compositions are actually fairly interesting. However, the performance lacks heart and energy. Also, the riffs, while solid, are fairly boilerplate. Nothing really imaginative, distinct, or exemplary here.
14. Soulside Journey- Just way too austere. Very little stands out from it and very little resonates. An album I’ve learned to countless times, but still couldn’t point out more than a few standout moments.
Tier 4- PBR
15. F.O.A.D.- Fairly unimaginative hero-worship. Some of the tracks have absolutely awful lyrics (“hey, we’re cool cuz we like 80s metal!”). Shit I would expect from teenagers trying to prove themselves, not grown-ass men. That said, there are enough strong riffs scattered throughout the album, and the energy level is high, making for a listenable record.
16. The Cult is Alive- Read notes on F.O.A.D. Black metal elements remain fairly prevalent in comparison to the next three albums. “Graveyard Slut” is the worst Darkthrone song ever.
17. Dark Thrones and Black Flags- Read notes on F.O.A.D. However, at least the other “punkthrone” records have at least a few tracks that stand out. This one really doesn’t have any.
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