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Darkthrone: The underground resistance

29/03/13 || Cobal

Darkthrone’s latest might be one of the most anticipated releases of the year. Maybe due to the not-giving-flying-fuck factor, whenever these two badass Norwegian fuckos announce something is to come, the hype in the Internet tends to be annoying. Me? After scrupulously listening to “The underground resistance” I can positively inform Darthrone did it again —of course, you could tell from the very beginning, …errr… it’s just my professional ethics that made me study it thoroughly—.

About the present status quo in the music industry —happily for us all, we can hear the death rattles of its industrial side—, my old man recently enlightened me with some words of true wisdom. Not being able to literally repeat his words now, lemme re-state the gist for you: Given the ridiculously easy accessibility of anyone to the music for free, or even by paying for it without actually buying a CD, what the bands sell nowadays has more to do with visual arts than it has to do with music itself.

No, I’m NOT saying that the visual elements of a release are more important than the music. What I’m saying is that musicians are less and less able to sell their music while they can more easily sell T-shirts, pins, mugs, vinyls and guitar-shaped dildos. Why would anyone buy a vinyl these days at all? There’s nostalgia involved, that’s for sure, but there’s more, isn’t it? It’s the art and the fairly large format in which you get it when you purchase a vinyl or a nice hoodie which make you buy them in the first place.

In that department, the art that bands hire or sometimes even design themselves needs to be paid special attention now. Even more that in the old days. The public is more demanding now of integral works, and that’s a global tendency that goes far beyond the world of music, not to say metal.

But hey, what’s all this long-winded speech about? Well, if you haven’t got it by now, genius, it’s the art you should be googling by now. The fucken art, damn it! I believe the cover of this album says much at many levels. It’s historic if you like. Historic for it’s a very traditional, power metal-like cover gone sepia; historic for the obvious reference to ancient, better times, and historic for it’s a huge statement itself. “The underground resistance” is almost a research paper if you ask me, not of the academic type, but the kind of documentary that all the experience in the world can provide.

I mean it, Darkthrone are definitely one of the most influential bands ever, and they’ve rocked the world of metal —yes, I actually typed that— from many angles and at least 4 sub-genres if not more. Now is the turn of pure 80’s style speed metal to be dealt with, and hell, they did it right.

Musically, what stroke me first and continuously while listening to it, was its fast exhilarating pace. Both riffs and drumming reminded me of the sound of bands like Agent Steel, Savage Grace, Bulldozer, Exciter and Living Death, and I even noticed some early Blind Guardian and Helloween’s kind of epicness, if you know what I mean. Of course, there are some black metal and crust punk hints here. These two guys cannot deny their true identity.

Now, while many of the bands mentioned above never had a masterpiece in their discography mainly due to poor overall songwriting and lack of variety, Darkthrone managed to put together a wide range of different songs from furious speedy tracks to epic pieces and some trippy rock passages. All this in only 6 tracks and 40 minutes. They all make amusing and even surprising listening, and truth be told, there’s more than one addictive riff. These days and after a couple thousand albums listened, it’s hard for me to even remember most of them. On the other hand, I’ve almost memorized every riff in here.

What I liked the most about this record is it really stands for everything metal is about, but it is never too well taken care of. Come on, you know what I mean, don’t you? Yes, virtuosity and professionalism may be impressive from time to time, but there’s a moment when things get to be too perfect… too pretty. “TUR” resists such temptation. Nocturno and Fenriz have nothing to prove and the whole thing feels just human, NOT PERFECT at all, and that goes specially for vocals.

If you’ve listened to any Darkthrone’s from the “Too old, too cold” era or later, that’s what Nocturno Culto has to offer here exactly. Not that I love his barking, but it does for what’s meant. In Fenriz’ case, he’s taken his vocals to the next level of presence by taking over most songs with clean singing. Not that he’s a gifted singer, but you can always notice the feeling that he puts in his lines. Also, while not impressive, his vocal lines are rather inspiring and catchy. One actually feels like singing along.

It’s really hard for me to recommend one song above the others, yet I gotta admit “Valkyrie”, “Come Warfare, the Entire Doom” and “Leave No Cross Unturned” have been played in my speakers many times more than the rest.

Sadly enough, not everybody is gonna enjoy “The underground resistance”. You really have to have some background to actually get it at all. It might even sound anachronistic to the new generations. Who knows? Maybe one of the many hooks in this work can get you, and then perhaps the underground resistance could grow bigger and stronger. Me, I reckon we have a new classic here. Cheers.

9,5

Information
Released: 2013
Label: Peaceville Records
Website: www.darkthrone.com
Band
Nocturno Culto: vocals, guitars, bass
Gylve Fenriz “Kaptein Vom” Nagell: drums, vocals, bass, guitars

Tracklist
01. Dead Early
02. Valkyrie
03. Lesser Men
04. The Ones You Left Behind
05. Come Warfare, the Entire Doom
06. Leave No Cross Unturned

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