ABITNS is 29 years old today apparently, older than myself. Fantastic album, it was my introduction to Darkthrone and one of my early black metal favourites alongside Nightside.
I distinctly remember Fenriz describing it as half a black metal album and half a death metal album with the songs tuned up to standard, which is interesting. Speaks to their deliberate transition in style to be part of that scene.
Great album, savage riffs, will be listening today.
UAFM is my favourite of the early stuff but Blaze is a ripper too. Might have to have a little Darktrone binge 8)
Blaze was my introduction to Darkthrone too and soon after I heard it I went out and bought the other 2 "unholy trinity" albums. Darkthrone are one of the bands who have the black metal style I love. Incredible riffs, atmospheric production, great drumming and each track never outstays its welcome.
I'd rank the unholy trinity as 1. TVH 2. UAFM 3. ABINS
I don't listen to a whole lot of BM these days, but when getting into in my early days of heavy metal dicovery, I bought Soulside Journey and ABITNS together without having ever heard a note of Darkthrone's music. Later on when learning more about the emergence of that whole scene and sound, only then did it make sense to me that those two albums could have come from the same band one after the other.
Still have the cassette and have yet to acquire the CD. For some reason Panzerfaust and Total Death are the albums I'd reach for ahead of the Unholy Trinity. I absolutely get the significance of Ablaze and how its release helped to usher in the first wave of Norwegian black metal but I find large segments of all three releases repetitive and meandering. In the Shadow of the Horns definitely the exception. It's been a while since I listened to any of the three so must stick them on and see if my opinion has since changed.
Great album and defo had an influence on early Belinus stuff when we were jamming.
I used listen to under a funeral moon more in the 90s but find myself listening to a blaze more these days.
Quote from: vinterland on February 26, 2021, 05:30:56 PM
Still have the cassette and have yet to acquire the CD. For some reason Panzerfaust and Total Death are the albums I'd reach for ahead of the Unholy Trinity. I absolutely gets the significance of Ablaze and how its release helped to usher in the first wave of Norwegian black metal but I find large segments of all three releases repetitive and and meandering. In the Shadow of the Horns definitely the exception. It's been a while since I listened to any of the three so must stick them on and see if my opinion has since changed.
The repetitive element works for me, particularly on UAFM which is such a cold, detached and nihilistic sounding album.
Was blown away the first time I heard Kathariaan Life Code. Great album but I do prefer Under A Funeral Moon. Rarely find myself reaching for Transilvanian Hunger these days, I find it errs on the boring side of hypnotic.
Fuil Na Seanchoille capture this early Darkthrone sound perfectly.
Quote from: Eoin McLove on February 26, 2021, 06:57:13 PM
Quote from: vinterland on February 26, 2021, 05:30:56 PM
Still have the cassette and have yet to acquire the CD. For some reason Panzerfaust and Total Death are the albums I'd reach for ahead of the Unholy Trinity. I absolutely gets the significance of Ablaze and how its release helped to usher in the first wave of Norwegian black metal but I find large segments of all three releases repetitive and and meandering. In the Shadow of the Horns definitely the exception. It's been a while since I listened to any of the three so must stick them on and see if my opinion has since changed.
The repetitive element works for me, particularly on UAFM which is such a cold, detached and nihilistic sounding album.
Spot on. The production in uafm is so fucking good.
Quote from: Blizzard Beast on February 26, 2021, 06:52:08 PM
Great album and defo had an influence on early Belinus stuff when we were jamming.
I used listen to under a funeral moon more in the 90s but find myself listening to a blaze more these days.
A fella I know used to throw a rake of BM albums onto C90s for me and as well as A Blaze.. , one of them had Belinus on it.
My go to darkthrone album is The Cult Is Alive, as much as I appreciate the older stuff for what it is and what it did
This was the first black metal album i ever heard,didnt know what to make of it at the time!.
It was chilling hearing this stuff on the metal show back then. I was too young to get it at the time but it made a strong impression.
I could take or leave Blaze these days but Under A Funeral Moon is the very definition of True Norwegian Black Metal , the fucking sound of that thing.......utterly freezing cold evil.
It's been quite some years since I spun this, wasn't dissapointed. I enjoyed it immesnsley, amplified via some herb I'd forgotten how good the 10 min + Kathaarian Life Code is! Classic.
I had it on this morning and yeah it's a cool album but I still think UAFM is their finest.
UAFM is definitely the most evil fecker of the lot. It's interesting because Transilvanian Hunger's become the trendiest one, I think. You'd see it more on t-shirts, hear it more in references etc. There's a certain school of thought out there I think that that trio of albums got progressively darker but TH actually overdone the cold minimalism of the production to the point where it's essentially an ambient work. You can play it at low volume and it works quite well as a hypnotic dirge. Funeral Moon needs to be turned up, though. It kicks doors down.
ABITNS is easily the most accessible of the lot, to its strength I think. They're each a slightly different shade of black, aren't they, and compliment each other quite well.
They've been listened to and discussed to death but the three together is still a fine way to drink a Friday evening away...
An ambient work :laugh: :laugh:
I'd hate to hear what you consider a heavy album.
I don't bother too much trying decide between ABITNS, UAFM or TH. I enjoy that they all have their own sound and song writing. I generally enjoy everything they put out (maybe except Hate Them, which was a bit bland).
Still think Total Death, Plaguewielder and Ravishing Grimness are overlooked. Also, Sardonic Wrath is fantastic.
Under a Funeral Moon has to be considered gold standard black metal for Crossing the Triangle of Flames alone.
Quote from: CorkonianHunger on March 03, 2021, 06:48:15 PM
Still think Total Death, Plaguewielder and Ravishing Grimness are overlooked. Also, Sardonic Wrath is fantastic.
Nothing wrong with any of those at all. Sardonic Wrath is a quality record.
Quote from: CorkonianHunger on March 03, 2021, 06:48:15 PM
I don't bother too much trying decide between ABITNS, UAFM or TH. I enjoy that they all have their own sound and song writing. I generally enjoy everything they put out (maybe except Hate Them, which was a bit bland).
Still think Total Death, Plaguewielder and Ravishing Grimness are overlooked. Also, Sardonic Wrath is fantastic.
Under a Funeral Moon has to be considered gold standard black metal for Crossing the Triangle of Flames alone.
Agreed and Panzerfaust. That unholy trinity just overshadows them so much.
Over fjell og gjennom torner is probably my favourite Darkthrone track and I know ill get a lot of stick for that. Its just so punchy and leaves you wanting more. I hate how short it is.
Quote from: Blackout on March 03, 2021, 07:12:31 PM
Over fjell og gjennom torner is probably my favourite Darkthrone track and I know ill get a lot of stick for that. Its just so punchy and leaves you wanting more. I hate how short it is.
Great song, people overlook the actual riff writing of that album just for the novelty of its cover/sound. Skald av satans sol is another for me.
Quote from: Airneanach on March 03, 2021, 02:33:49 PM
UAFM is definitely the most evil fecker of the lot. It's interesting because Transilvanian Hunger's become the trendiest one, I think. You'd see it more on t-shirts, hear it more in references etc. There's a certain school of thought out there I think that that trio of albums got progressively darker but TH actually overdone the cold minimalism of the production to the point where it's essentially an ambient work. You can play it at low volume and it works quite well as a hypnotic dirge. Funeral Moon needs to be turned up, though. It kicks doors down.
ABITNS is easily the most accessible of the lot, to its strength I think. They're each a slightly different shade of black, aren't they, and compliment each other quite well.
They've been listened to and discussed to death but the three together is still a fine way to drink a Friday evening away...
I can get on board with the ambient assessment of it. Hypnotic stuff. When I first heard it I couldn't understand why it never changed.
Have TH on now. Can't remember the last time I listened to it. Unreal.
Quote from: Blackout on March 03, 2021, 02:55:13 PM
An ambient work :laugh: :laugh:
I'd hate to hear what you consider a heavy album.
Tone and atmosphere, quiet mix, bitter cold soundscape that doesn't break out into obvious moments of rock n roll rage.
I'm not saying it should be classed under easy listening in a record store. But it's more than equipped to be considered ambient and consumed as such.
Fenriz seems to dislike how much attention TH got and mentions that he finds some of the tracks "too melodic". I like Fenriz though he has that sardonic dark humour that I enjoy.
On a complete side note, and not too recent a revelation given the age of this link, but random Fenriz fact...he's big into his deep house and techno. Prob old news to many here but it caught me by surprise...
https://thequietus.com/articles/21635-fenriz-darkthrone-interview-favourite-albums
Ya, he has a Richie Hawtin Plastikman tattoo an all.
Nice to see some love for panzerfaust, super album as well.
Can't believe A Blaze in the Northern Sky is 29 years old. Prefer TH myself. Those three albums are some body of work though.