DARKTHRONE
It Beckons Us All
Peaceville Records
Sometimes we all have that day where we are down and out and music lifts us; whether it's a new CD, concert tickets or a video, music in any form is what many of us live for and the release of a new record can pull you back from the depths of whatever hell you feel like you're in.
Speaking of Hell, DARKTHRONE's new album It Beckons Us All is a journey to the soundscape of hell and back again and each new album reminds us why they are the unrivaled masters of Norwegian Black Metal. Fenriz and Nocuturno Culto have outdone themselves with this one. Yes, I know I always say that, but I have often wondered how they have persevered all these years and they always have something new and interesting to share with us.
I feel like I have gone back a bit to the excitement I had about the release of Transylvanian Hunger when I listen to this record. It has moments of bleakness mixed with their reliable preservation of traditional black metal sounds and tones.
What truly excites me about this record is the amount of clean vocal that Fenriz lends to the entire record. It's no secret to anyone that I love all things Fenriz, so when I listened to the album all the way through the first time, I was in the feels about the whole thing.
The first video for "The Bird People of Nordland" has started to rack up significant views on YouTube and is a strong first release from the new product. It may seem, to the casual observer, that this is going to be the standout track from the album but what I will say is that it was the track that was most apt to be a selection for a video, as I feel the strongest of the seven offerings is "Black Dawn Affiliation". With a faster pace and fiercer vocals, it is my absolute favorite.
"And In That Moment I Knew The Answer" is anther song with that throwback sound and it's austerity is all encompassing. It doesn't need words; the instruments say it all. It sucks you in until you feel like your breath is restricted and then it pushes you back to the surface with it's all too brief instrumental interlude.
"The Heavy Hand" is plodding along with a contemporary pace and traditional vocals a doom-laden tone. However, the album's opus is "The Lone Pines of The Lost Planet" and the song changes tone and tempo several times within the span of ten minutes and two seconds. It utilizes different instrumental styles as well; you almost have a classical feel to the intro before it catapults you into heavy, pounding riffs and through it all Fenriz keeps meticulous time with his percussive intensity.
The album also features "Howling Primitive Colonies" and "Eon 3" and all of the songs are versatile and strong. This is a good record. It is what you would expect from the purveyors of one of the longest running and most adored bands of that early 1990's wave of black metal bands.
I have seen some mixed reviews on this album already and I believe that some of them are not only unfair, but that they don't know that weirdness, thrash, punk, black or traditional metal and a melee of all is what these two long-time innovators do. You don't have to understand it, just love it. They have set the tone for years and continue to be pioneering and interesting where others drifted away when the proverbial fires went out.
5.0 Out Of 5.0
