And here's Darkthrone reissue three. The recording this time out is just as raw as it was on "A Blaze in the Northern Sky", but things are a bit more distant and slightly thinner. There's actually a nice, plodding bass presence in there, it's just that the drums are mixed farther back and the guitar distortion isn't as over the top as far as texture goes. I'd say the overall atmosphere is also the same. The writing is slightly more developed and perhaps not quite as basic, but it's still far from technical, and relies on a lot of repetition with that steady mix of tempo changes. Among my favorite moments are the awesome slow break with raging distorted bass in "Summer of the Diabolical Holocaust" and the total hardcore/punk rhythms that introduce "To Walk the Infernal Fields". For the most part the writing and structures tend to be similar, but that consistency is in keeping with the emphasis on feeling. The disc again comes in a glossy digipack with black and white artwork consisting largely of photos/images of forests and whatnot, and all of the lyrics are inside. This time around one track is in Norwegian, and while the lyrics retain a certain personal edge, the subject matter takes yet another step towards the focus on antichristian themes, also introducing numerous mentions of suicide. "The sign of your horns is my dearest vision, They impale all holy and weak, You watch me face the mirror and see desecration, With my art I am the fist in the face of god." The third chapter in the CD-Rom interview is a bit shorter at 10 minutes, and Fenriz seems a bit more animated as he talks about having a full year to work on nothing but black metal, whereas "A Blaze in the Northern Sky" was somewhat rushed. Nocturno Culto also seems very enthusiastic about the time period surrounding this album, going so far as referring to it as a "brilliant time". I think this is probably the most interesting of the interview segments so far. Another solid reissue that I'm glad to have in my possession.
[Peaceville]
Running time - 40:41, Tracks: 8
[Notable tracks: Summer of the Diabolical Holocaust, To Walk the Infernal Fields, Crossing the Triangle of Flames]
Peaceville - http://www.peaceville.com
