Review DARKTHRONE “Pre-Historic Metal”

Darkthrone is undoubtedly a force in black metal, with roots in the Norwegian underground scene. Founded four decades ago, the band has gone through different stages, all of which have one thing in common: Darkthrone has never focused on trends or commercial success. Fenriz and Nocturno Culto have always done whatever they wanted, and their new album, “Pre-Historic Metal”, is no exception.

Whether you can describe a forty-year career as prehistoric is debatable, but that’s beside the point. Darkthrone have released an album that continues their exploration of riff-based heavy metal, referencing the ’70s and ’80s.

Like the previous album, “Pre-Historic Metal” is a raw and unpolished gem from Norway. Decade after decade, more shimmering riff power emerges, while the recordings remain as rough as the Norwegian landscape.

“They Found One of My Graves” marks the beginning of this exploratory journey through metal. Built on a mean riff and a rustic sound, the song sends shivers down your spine. Twists with references to traditional metal are present throughout, while some smartly integrated changes in pace give an extra thrill.

The title track follows, with Darkthrone shifting gears. “Pre-Historic Metal” is an explosive metal track with an evil spirit that takes you back to the Ice Age of metal. As strong and mighty as some Norwegian glaciers, the song is built to last, and the manic clean vocals add a new twist to the mix.

With “Siberian Thaw”, we enter the realm of doom metal. The slowly paced yet mesmerising riff beast showcases the impact of doom metal in Darkthrone’s current sound, while “Deeply Rooted” draws on the traditions of 1980s metal. Despite these crosslinks, we are still listening to Darkthrone, as the band continues to develop its musical identity. Everything on “Pre-Historic Metal” sounds raw and rough around the edges. No polish was used during production, so we are listening to an album that sounds as if it were recorded during a rehearsal. At the same time, the sound of “Pre-Historic Metal” is powerful and intended to be that way. The musical vision and sound complement each other very authentically, turning the pulsating “The Dry Wells of Hell” into a stomping metal anthem.

The eerie instrumental “So I Marched to the Sunken Empire” is a sinister interlude before the massive “Eat Eat Your Pride” heralds the end of the album. This song showcases the band’s strength, and while listening to the album, I was reminded of bands like Hellhammer and Celtic Frost more than once. It is this raw, primitive riff power that makes an impact, also resonating in ‘Eon 4’, which adds a new chapter to the ‘Eon’ series.

This album isn’t about fretboard acrobatics. It represents mean, sinister heavy metal, free from frills and gimmicks. It is the foundation of a genre, which is why the title is superbly chosen. “Pre-Historic Metal” is the next milestone from Darkthrone, an unconventional band with vision, identity, and a hellish grin that stares at you with each song they release.