Pioneers of a sound that changed the world. Lifelong disciples of suspense and mystery. An enigmatic duo like no other, hell-bent on haunting souls through the eternities. There are many things DARKTHRONE have been called since forming in 1986 and these are but a few, having drawn from a creative well so potent and powerful it turned them into one of Norway’s biggest musical exports.
Following from their debut album Soulside Journey, the next three full-lengths, often referred to as ‘the unholy three’, set the benchmark for black metal in the early 90s, though in truth they’ve never been the kind to rest on such laurels – distilling elements of vintage punk, doom, thrash and death into their own sonic fingerprint and continuing to test that equation throughout the years. It’s been quite the journey, having won cryptic pair Nocturno and Fenriz legions of loyal fans around the world. This tradition will only continue with latest masterpiece, “It Beckons Us All”.
Set for release via Peaceville on April 26, the new music is an intense observation of the world around them – exciting and challenging the listener in equal measure, in the way only they can. Some of the riffs howl across a gallery of ice and snow while others crackle like a volcano awakening from its timeless slumber, Nocturno’s demonic barks ricocheting across the intoxicating structures almost like it’s beaming from long-distant galaxy. As DARKTHRONE have shown us so many times in the past, their music is as visual as it gets – evoking tangible imagery through the medium of sound. Whether the ideas are sombre, reflective or incensed, they exist as emotional concepts you can see and feel as much as you hear.
“I am having difficulties putting into words my personal feelings around the existential title It Beckons Us All, I can only hope others out there can feel the darkness that encompasses it,” muses Fenriz.
Never afraid to venture beyond the confines of the extreme metal template they were paramount in creating, there are moments on It Beckons Us All that will dazzle and surprise, as well as satisfy fans of old. Nocturno comments: “We recorded in the manner we always do, live, meaning drums and guitar, with another guitar added later. We found a new twist during this process that surely benefited this album. Fenriz did stellar clean vocals on several songs, and his way of thinking creatively made it so good. We also shared the bass work this time around. We added a lot of extra layers like solo guitars… it was just a cauldron of ideas. Instead of finding a plug-in or choir synth patch, we both recorded four vocal tracks each. Darkthrone is an ever-evolving band, as many should know by now, and this album is touching a bit into the heavy genre. I have no idea what genre we are, and have really not cared much about it, but I know for sure it’s metal.”
“It Beckons Us All” was recorded in April and May 2023 at Chaka Khan Studios in Oslo, the same location used for the “Eternal Hails” and “Astral Fortress” albums, mastered by Jack Control at Enormous Door, with artwork courtesy of Polish artist Zbigniew Bielak.
