Darkthrone - The Cult Is Alive
2006 Peaceville

Track Listing:
1.  The Cult Of Goliath
2.  Too Old, Too Cold
3.  Atomic Coming
4.  Graveyard Slut
5.  Underdogs And Overlords
6.  Whisky Funeral
7.  De Underjordiske (Elia Capitolina)
8.  Tyster På Gud
9.  Shut Up
10. Forebyggende Krig

Line-Up:
Vocals:  Fenriz/Nocturno Culto
Guitars:  Nocturno Culto
Bass:  Nocturno Culto
Drums:  Fenriz

Website:  www.darkthrone.no

Shev's Rating:  B+
Overall Rating:  B+

Shev's Review:
Truth be told, I was never much of a Darkthrone fan.  My personal favorite release by Darkthrone was their death metal-ish "Soulside Journey".  Then they released some quality stuff as a straight-up black metal band, but really nothing noteworthy...much less tolerable...since "Translyvanian Hunger".  But for the past twelve years Darkthrone insisted on pumping out the same old black metal crap, and needless to say, I had absolutely no intentions of pissing away any cash on "The Cult Is Alive".

So then one day I hear "The Cult Of Goliath" on an internet radio station.  Didn't even recognize the band as their sound had changed.  Significantly.  Instead of their tired black metal schlock which they have managed to make quite the fanbase from, they have gone past their death metal roots and introduced a whole new playing field of dirty crust.  Don't believe for a second this is comparable to that groovy sound they shit out for the "Sardonic Wrath" album.  It's still identifiable as black metal, but mixing this crusty sound under a slightly better production has given me a whole new respect for Darkthrone.  These guys have just written the musical equivalent of two big middle fingers shoved into the collective face of the modern black metal scene.

There really isn't much of a debate against Darkthrone as musicians although their long list of releases may give people a different impression, but "The Cult Is Alive" is stripped right down to a no bullshit aggressive stance.  Still has the ripping vocals of Darkthrone with a little variation thrown in.  Still has that hellfire lo-fi taste, but polished just slightly.  Still has that sloppy sound, just a little more accessible to a new listener.

Old school Darkthrone and black metal fans are bound to hate this, and rightly so.  It's quite obvious that Darkthrone really don't have much interest in the black metal scene anymore.  And who can blame them?  They helped set the pace years and years ago, but instead of a natural progression all we have seen are a majority of clones.  So once again I suppose Darkthrone are involuntarily setting the bar.  At least, that's what I'm hoping.  If this imperfect little gem is the introduction to a new breed of black metal, then with a little tweaking the future doesn't look half bad.
Shev's Rating:  B+

Discography (last updated 6.26.06):
A New Dimension demo - 1988
Land Of Frost demo - 1988
Cromlech demo - 1989
Thulcandra demo - 1989
Soulside Journey - 1990
A Blaze In The Northern Sky - 1991
Under A Funeral Moon - 1993
Transylvanian Hunger - 1994
Panzerfaust - 1995
Goatlord - 1996
Total Death - 1996
Ravishing Grimness - 1999
Preparing For War - 2000
Plaguewielder - 2001
Hate Them - 2003
Sardonic Wrath - 2004
Preparing For War Box - 2005
Under Beskyt'telse Av Morke EP - 2005
The Cult Is Alive - 2006
Too Old, Too Cold EP - 2006