Year: 2008
Total Time:  CD1: 47:54 – CD2: 44:05 – CD3: 46:01
Label: Tyrant Syndicate/Peaceville

For the Black Metal fans, just to be friends, avoid this presentation. At the “Frostland Tapes” you won’t find the band most of you compale yourself to love, because “you have to”. Frostland Tapes is about the DARKTHRONE fans and not for generally for “black metal fans”. If you want a convenient way to see the evolution of a band with ideas but late know-how, ambitions and self-destructive attitude, here you are.

From the primitive but spooky version of “Land of Frost” demo to the impressive variety of “A New Dimension” and “Thulchandra” (with shots of music that later on we named “atmospheric death metal”). From the threatening game against European Death Metal sound of their last demo “Cromlech”, to the hot, chokingly sadistic atmosphere of DARK death metal hymn “Goatlord” in the (first) instrumental version.

A tape that for many years was privilege for some dirty, tripping fanzine guys. This triple CD, now makes it available for all DARKTRONE fans. Except, I repeat, from the blackmetallers, who won’t find this release interesting. And this is very comforting for us, the DARKTHRONE fans, who feel that listening to DARKTHRONE is a special experience, completely irrelevant with old school concepts like “respect”, “history” or so.  The only historical value of “Frostland Tapes” is to remind ages that Death Metal was justifying its name and hasn’t become the Saturday cartoon it turned out to be.

Rating: 8/10
Editor: Tolis Giovanitis
Translation/Rendering in English: Tasos Varelas
Related Link: DARKTHRONE- Facebook Page

P.S. The initial publication of this review was in the Greek METAL HAMMER Magazine – issue 285, September 2008.