Darkthrone RANKED

i don't think 'panzerfaust' is as disagreeable of a pick for the number one spot as people make it out to be. it has the reputation of being very polarizing, or even being an acquired taste. but i have to say, with this being my first darkthrone album (i had heard 'a blaze in the northern sky' a long while before but i'm not counting that), i was hooked from first listen.

and even after hearing more of their stuff, nothing hits quite as hard as 'panzerfaust'. the instrumentation here, while not completely out of the ordinary for the genre, feels like an evolution from the way more rudimentary, frosty riffs of the trilogy. it's infused with elements of doom metal, as found on tracks like 'the hordes of nebulah' or the incredible 'quintessence', or even thrash metal, like on 'triumphant gleam', all while staying true to their northern black metal roots.

so the instrumentation is usually agreed upon to be strong, though purists might argue that the louder and slightly clearer mix comes at the sacrifice of the "atmosphere". so why is it controversial? it's obviously the vocals. but let me tell you, if you come into this with an open mind (or even better, not being aware of the context behind the vocals here, as i wasn't), you will be impressed with how raw and poignant the vocals here are. it's like this scary guy found on these covers is now heavily wounded and dragging himself through the woods.

combine this with the way the vocals sit in the mix, way more in your face, and you have the recipe for a genuinely intense experience. full of great riffs, brutal songwriting and lyrics, plus the unconventional vocals, 'panzerfaust' serves as their most accomplished work in my opinion.

favorite track: 'quintessence'

'transilvanian hunger' is my favorite out of the trilogy, simply because it cranks up all of the emotion, all of the attitude of the previous two albums, without sacrificing any of the quality. it's so full of energy it's like a genuine rush of adrenaline. it's kinda punky too a lil bit.

and holy shit the opening track is amazing. it's like every single thing that's good about black metal in a single track. that icy guitar riff is pure perfection, it literally fills me with dread every time i hear it.

it does kinda give me a headache every time i go to listen to it but it's alright i forgive them.

favorite track: 'transilvanian hunger'

accompanied by a laughably bad album cover that feels like a cheap ripoff of the other unholy trinity albums, 'under a funeral moon' is probably the black metal purists' favorite darkthrone release.

the playing is faster. more alternate picking, less slow, brooding passages. mixing is even more lo-fi. even icier soundscapes than previous. full of highlights as usual, overall an amazing time.

as a side note, i'm actually surprised that this isn't the album that actually became the mainstream classic black metal album instead of 'a blaze in the northern sky'. for how pretentious black metal fans are known to be, i feel like this encompasses that ethos a bit better. and the album's a bit better as well lol.

favorite track: 'crossing the triangle of flames'

darkthrone's second album marked their foray into black metal. a departure both in terms of aesthetic and the way they presented themselves as a band, the best example being the cover, but also the music. although i am not at all well versed in the genre, 'a blaze in the northern sky' strikes me as, out of the trilogy it kickstarted, having aged the worst and being the most generic.

that being said, this album is still pretty damn great. i mean it features some of the craziest guitar work out of any of their first few albums, on tracks like 'paragon belial' or 'where cold winds blow'. the epic opener is also one of their best from this era, just a huge way to open this chapter.

so yeah, while slightly inferior to the albums that followed it, it was, in the end, hugely influential, and has pretty much attained universal classic status, so who am i to judge?

favorite track: 'paragon belial'

in which darkthrone finally gives their annoying, purist fans what they wanted. an epic powerhouse of an album that feels like a triumph in every way.

yeah it's kinda what i wanted too. fantastic material across the board, amazingly brutal vocals, insane riffs and everything you would like. probably the best heavy metal and black metal blend out there (i haven't heard many else lol).

all heat in the tracklist. the opener is one of their best and most epic songs of all time. 'the hardship of the scots' is a great choice for a lead single, it's everything you want to get you excited for a darkthrone album in 2019. the tracks that follow may not be as good, but they're no pushovers either.

favorite track: 'i muffle your inner choir'

even more fooling around than on 'f.o.a.d', it's pretty much the band turning everything up. instrumentation is more consistently solid, songs are catchier, vocals are even more uninhibited and it's even more fun somehow.

favorite track: 'witch ghetto'

bro i actually mess with this. the vocals are either genuinely scary because he sounds like an insane guy trapped in some sort of basement, or absolutely fucking hilarious. i can't man when he does that girl voice it's so damn funny every time. he goes absolutely crazy on the vocals.

but that's cool though. it's a good thing. i like the way the drums sound in this shitty mix, they're so amateurish. and i also like that you get some genuinely good riffs here and there, like on the opener 'rex'. it's doom influenced, it's got a menacing atmosphere, and it's actually a great track if you ignore the crappy sound.

so yeah while it's not a traditionally "good" album by any means, i can't help but feel like it's such a fun experience and unlike anything you'll ever hear.

favorite track: 'rex'

although still a flawed album, the unapologetic attitude of 'f.o.a.d' makes it undeniably one of the band's best records.

bursting at the seams with fun riffs, weird and quirky solos, sarcastic lyricisms and eccentric vocal deliveries here and there, it's maybe the best time you'll have had with any darkthrone album up to this point. maybe other than 'goatlord'.

favorite track: 'these shores are damned'

pretty much an upgrade on 'hate them' from every point of view. more energy, more distortion, more fun.

it's a more fine-tuned fusion of this crust punk sound and their black metal roots. riffs are distorded and bombastic, but the vocals on particular still have that same edge.

does feel kinda samey after a while.

favorite track: 'sacrificing to the god of doubt'

ending what kinda felt like a trilogy of sorts for the band, 'circle the wagons' finds the band scrambling for a way to make this not feel like them doing the same album three times.

i think the solution they found is basically sounding like pirates the whole way through for some reason... even more than previously... it's something for sure.

it does get a bit too over the top for my taste, which is why i don't really gravitate towards this album in particular. but still a very solid release.

favorite track: 'i am the graves of the 80s'

2022's 'astral fortress' is certainly a release that feels inspired, i'll say that. it feels like they're still up for making an album at least.

and there's some very good stuff here, i particularly like the mythological sounding opener lol. also the synths or whatever they used on 'stalagmite necklace'. quite a few very interesting production choices lol.

but overall not up there with their best unfortunately.

favorite track: 'caravan of broken ghosts'

on 'hate them', darkthrone got their shit together and switched it up. finally.

it's got a lot more of a punk appeal and it's pretty much their dirtiest album so far. not only this, but they actually pull some pretty great songs out of their sleeve here and there, such as the gargantuan and distorted opener.

most of this is just solid and nothing really that jumps at you that much in terms of quality, but it's certainly a huge step in the right direction. you do get the occasional misstep, like the closer on which it sounds like they're trying to shoehorn this heavy metal riff opener into a weird punk black metal fusion and then make it doom for some reason? it's just an example of them taking it a bit too far.

favorite track: 'rust'

the best moments on 'arctic thunder' feels like the band reliving past glory. it's not an inherently bad thing, and it's cool to see them going back to their roots in black metal.

but don't get it twisted, this isn't REALLY a black metal album. there's certainly moments, such as the occasionally dissonant riffs on 'burial bliss' or something like 'deep lake trespass'. and it's certainly a huge part of the aesthetic.

though not essential by any means, it's a decent release from the band, who are still going strong.

favorite track: 'boreal fiends'

i cannot understand why the hell does the second half of the album sound so much worse than the first. genuinely, it's like they gave up on producing and mastering the album halfway through. not that their records are expected to be perfectly polished but jeez.

the thing is the first 4 tracks are actually great. 'blackwinged' is an amazing mix of their typical style with some heavy metal style riffs, and it's absolutely blistering. and the sound is amazing too. 'gather for attack on the pearly gates' sounds like something that could've well landed on 'under a funeral moon'. and the opener features some cool thrash metal guitars that i'm a fan of.

unfortunately it's hindered by the second half, which, although not awful, is let down by the crappy sound. but that's literally what black metal is about. so idk why people hate this one.

favorite track: 'blackwinged'

the band's debut is a competent, albeit uninteresting, death metal album.

there's actually very few hints as to the direction they would later go into. the vocals are a far cry from what nocturno culto gave us during the black metal years, much less later than that. and the instrumentation is... fine? i guess?

it's just old death metal. could they have done a record that was more enjoyable in this style? yes. do i think this is an interesting style? no not really.

favorite track: 'eon'

credit where it's due, it does have a bit more of that edge they lacked on 'ravishing grimness', especially on the opener which is one of my favorite songs from this era of theirs.

just a bit more edge, but it's pretty much the same experience and i did not want any more of it past this point.

favorite track: 'weakling avenger'

a pretty big letdown following their late-career masterpiece in 'old star'.

genuinely why did they go with this lo-fi sounds for their foray into doom metal. it's a baffling choice, and the whole album suffers because of it.

it's not like the material here was anything more than solid anyways, so i don't really get it.

favorite track: 'lost arcane city of uppakra'

the follow-up to 'total death' is somehow an even bigger disappointment. it was their most generic black metal album up to that point, and it seems like the band lost almost all of its mystique.

the vocals here are pretty flaccid, they don't at any point feel as menacing as they did on their better stuff, and the instrumentals sound actually pretty overproduced for them. none of that lo-fi mixing is to be found. it's overall just very very limp, they're playing fast as if they're trying to fill all the space left from the lack of new ideas.

favorite track: 'to the death (under the king)'

the poor instrumentation really lets down the first crust punk album from the band.

riffs are bland and boring as sin, it lacks the slight zaniness present on albums such as 'f.o.a.d' and overall an unremarkable transition point for the band.

favorite track: 'whiskey funeral'

funny story actually, i was in norway earlier this summer (which is kinda what inspired me to make this list). i saw this in a record store and it was like this crazy box set or something. mind you, i knew nothing about the band, so i was understandably impressed with how cool the packaging was.

and i was pretty much unconsciously left with this impression that 'it beckons us all' is some sort of giant in the darkthrone discography.

nope.

favorite track: N/A

growing past their crust punk phase, on 'the underground resistance, darkthrone find themselves doing something that sounds like a poor iron maiden album from the blaze bayley era or something idk i don't really listen to them but that's what i imagine it would sound.

they get a bunch of riffs that, although in the same vein, take themselves way more seriously than the previous albums, and also are way way more generic. so what you get is basically a very poor heavy metal album.

that closing track is so unbelievably long oh my god.

favorite track: 'valkyrie'