Darkthrone - A Blaze In The Northern Sky
Peaceville Records
True Black Metal
6 songs (46:08)
Release year: 1992
Peaceville Records
Reviewed by Valefor

The year is 1992, grunge is in full sway, the music scene is indeed bleak and depressing... though American Death Metal is just blossoming, something is lacking. Enter Fenriz ( Percussion, Satanic Poetry and Haunting Chants), Zephyrus ( Electric Rythym guitar) and Nocturno Culto ( Lead guitar and Voice of the Night), a.k.a. Darkthrone. Though initially a death metal band, Darkthrone changed course with their second LP, and rode the first wave of the Norwegian Black Metal scene, just in time, I might add.

A Blaze in the Northern Sky would come to epitomize True Black Metal. No pretty female singers, no clean vocals, no keyboards, raw production, simple riffs, no color on their album covers... just pure frozen evil. The guitars are cold necro chainsaws, the drums are like skeletons swaying from the gallows, rattling in the cruel winter wind and the vox are saturated with hatred for all that is warm and living.

Though often imitated, this level of grimness has seldom, if ever been duplicated, even by Darkthrone themselves. Even in the middle of summer, this album will freeze you to the bone, it is like a howling blizzard in your ears. If you are into Black Metal , you already have this; if you do not, how can you say that you are?

Killing Songs :
In The Shadow Of The Horns, Kathaarian Life Code, Paragon Belial, The Pagan Winter, Where Cold Winds Blow, A Blaze In The Northern Sky
Valefor quoted CLASSIC
Other albums by Darkthrone that we have reviewed:
Darkthrone - Astral Fortress reviewed by Goat and quoted 70 / 100
Darkthrone - Eternal Hails...... reviewed by Goat and quoted 90 / 100
Darkthrone - Old Star reviewed by Goat and quoted 80 / 100
Darkthrone - Arctic Thunder reviewed by Goat and quoted 70 / 100
Darkthrone - The Underground Resistance reviewed by Goat and quoted 75 / 100
To see all 21 reviews click here
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