Artist: DARKTHRONE
Album: RAVISHING GRIMNESS (CD)

Release date: 1999/ 2019
EAN/UPS: 0801056780522
Media type: CD

Self proclaimed 'True Norwegian Black Metal' band DARKTHRONE have courted a great deal of controversy over a string of brutally stark Death Metal albums. The band, formatively entitled BLACK DEATH, was convened in 1987 and issued a couple of demos, starting with March 1988's 'Land Of Frost' and July 1988's 'A New Dimension' before March 1989's 'Thulcandra' then 'Cromlech' that same December, the latter being recorded live. The 'Cromlech' session would be soon after re-issued that same year paired with ISENGARD's 'Spectres Over Gorgoroth'. The band's first recording line-up, as credited on 'Land Of Frost', comprised vocalist / drummer Gylve (Gylve Nagell a.k.a. 'Fenriz'), guitarist Ivar Enger ('Zephyrous'), bassist Dag Nilsen with additional guitars credited to Anders Risberget. For the second set, 'A New Dimension', the band introduced guitarist Ted Skjellum ('Nocturno Culto').

DARKTHRONE had yet to play an actual gig when they signed to Yorkshire based Peaceville Records and issued the Tomas Skogsberg produced 'Soulside Journey' in 1991. In May of that year a short burst of Finnish shows was conducted with Speed Metal act PRESTIGE.

Following the release of 'A Blaze In The Northern Sky', bassist Dag Nilsen quit. Despite lining up a British tour in 1992, DARKTHRONE amazingly cancelled all dates, wishing to disassociate themselves from the Death Metal boom and subsequently closed ranks, insisting on no press interviews and vowing never to play live again!

Adopting pseudonyms more suitable for their chosen creative path, vocalist / bassist Nocturno Culto, guitarist Zephyrous and Fenriz on drums released 'Under A Funeral Moon' in early 1993, a record that appeared just prior to the spate of Satanic church burnings in Norway. Fenriz (real name Gylve Nagell) oddly, and displaying a rare sense of Black Metal humour, adopted the pseudonym of 'Hank Amarillo' for a short period. Still refusing to commit themselves to any interviews DARKTHRONE remained silent on the whole affair. In 1994 Fenriz released the solo album 'Vinterskugge' under the project name ISENGARD.

Despite the arrival of a solo album from Fenriz under the ISENGARD handle, entitled 'Vinterskugge', DARKTHRONE remained active. A fourth album emerged entitled 'Transylvanian Hunger' in 1994 although it was preceded by a notorious and allegedly "fascist" press release, which saw many distributors refusing to handle the record. In a quite productive year for Fenriz, a further ISENGARD project album was released in late 1994 under the guise of NUCLEAR TEMPLE. The same year the industrious Fenriz involved himself as session bass player for DODHEIMSGARD. Although he left this project following the debut album.

In early 1995 Fenriz assembled VED BUENS ENDE ('AT THE END OF THE BOW") together with ULVER and ARCTURUS bassist Skoll, drummers Vicotnik of DODHEIMSGARD and Carl-Michael ex-SATYRICON and ULVER. He also turned up on VALHALLA's 1997 second album, 'Heading for Mars', performing drum duties. A new DARKTHRONE album was also released in 1997, 'Goatlord' is in fact a CD pressing of the band's early demos, originally intended as a follow up to 'Soulside Journey'.

The band was honoured by such contemporaries as IMMORTAL, SATYRICON and even EMPEROR on the Moonfog tribute album 'Darkthrone Holy Darkthrone'. Another homage to DARKTHRONE's influence would see acts such as RAMPAGE, LYCANTHROPY, MEGIDDO, THOR, THE SYRE and IBEX THRONE contributing to the Destroy Records collection 'The Next 1000 Years Are Ours'.

During 1999 Fenris featured as guest vocalist on ULVER's landmark conceptual piece 'Themes From William Blake's The Marriage Of Heaven And Hell'. 2000 also found Fenriz involved in all star project act EIBON. Issuing one track on the 'Moonfog 2000' compilation album EIBON consisted of Fenriz, PANTERA frontman Phil Anselmo, SATYRICON's Satyr Wongraven, NECROPHAGIA's Killjoy and MAYHEM's Maniac.

The band returned in 2001 with a six track album 'Plaguewielder'. Much of 2002 would be taken up in preparation for a new studio album. At first provisionally billed as 'Leper Unction' this proposed title seemed to have been dropped by September. The actual album itself, newly titled 'Hate Them', was reportedly recorded and mixed in a mere 26 hours.

May of 2003 would see 'Sardonic Wrath' emerge as a working title for a new studio album. In early 2004 it would be learned that all future DARKTHRONE product was to be serviced by Tyrant Syndicate Records, a new label started by Nocturno Culto. This imprint's debut release would be the AURA NOIR 'Mystical' outing, seeing Fenriz as guest sessioneer. Fenriz would also lend his name to a compilation through Peaceville Records entitled 'Fenriz Presents The Best Of Old School Black Metal'. Amongst the acts chosen as pioneers in their field the drummer chose a diverse range taking in BURZUM, MAYHEM, AURA NOIR, TORMENTOR, SAMAEL, DESTRUCTION, BLASPHEMY, SARCOFAGO, CELTIC FROST, NATTEFROST, MERCYFUL FATE, SODOM, BATHORY, BULLDOZER, VENOM and HELLHAMMER. That same year Nocturno Culto sessioned on the demo 'On Frostbitten Path Beneath' by VIDSYN.

A long overdue live performance of sorts would be announced for the August 'Wacken Open Air' festival as SATYRICON revealed that for the last half hour of their headlining set they would act as backing musicians for DARKTHRONE. This one off union duly delivered 'Kaatharian Life Code', 'The Hordes Of Nebulah', 'Transilvanian Hunger' and 'Under A Funeral Moon'. This flush of band related activity would be further enhanced when the group announced the formation of their own record label Tyrant Syndicate Productions, soon announcing signature of AURA NOIR's 'Merciless' album.

In September Nocturno Culto was revealed to be fronting HELVETE, a Black Metal "Supergroup" allied with DISIPLIN guitarist General K, bassist Hellcommander Nattefrost from CARPATHIAN FOREST and drummer Faust, ex-EMPEROR and DISSECTION. Also on the horizon would be limited edition, vinyl picture disc re-releases of both 'Soulside Journey' and 'A Blaze In The Northern Sky' through the Back On Black label. Meantime, DARKTHRONE's 'Sardonic Wrath' album made headlines in December when it was nominated in the metal category for a coveted 'Alarm' award. The group demanded their name being withdrawn, with Fenriz commenting ""We play real and honest Black Metal and we have no interest in being part of the glitter and showbiz side of the music industry."

Nocturno Culto guested as backing vocalist on the high profile SCUM collaboration album 'Gospels For The Sick' in early 2005. DARKTHRONE returned with a new album, 'The Cult Is Alive', through Peaceville Records in February 2006. A preceding EP, entitled 'Too Old, Too Cold', including a cover version of SIOUXSIE AND THE BANSHEES 'Love In A Void' and the original 'High On Cold War' featuring Grutle Kjellson from ENSLAVED on guest vocals. 'Too Old, Too Cold' entered the Norwegian national singles charts at number 11.

TRACKLIST:

1. Lifeless
2. The Beast
3. The Claws Of Time
4. Across The Vacuum
5. To The Death (Under The King)

LINE-UP:

Fenriz (vocals / drums)
Nocturno Culto (guitar / bass)