“ARCTIC THUNDER”: DARKTHRONE RETURNS WITH A NEW ALBUM

As you know, we don’t try to keep you abreast of the many breaking news stories in metal every day, but this announcement from an hour ago on Darkthrone’s Facebook page elevated my pulse rate in a way that usually happens only when I discover a hole in the electrified fence at the loris compound and all the knives have disappeared:

“Hi folks, it’s time to talk a bit about our new album – and as I don’t like to talk or write about music much I can say that it is more serious and primitive than usual. Vocals are only done by Ted as I thought this would create a more solemn/introvert atmosphere. The album is called ARCTIC THUNDER because it is my fave bandname (old mega-obscure Norwegian band from the 80s that I asked the permission from to use as an album title).

“Meanwhile here is the cover, it is from the personal camping archives from a trip some years ago to SPÅLSBERGET in Nordmarka. IT has the usual spruce-tree skyline and also a bonfire – there will be another limited colour version with orange logo and title, because that was MY favourite colour, but the usual release looks like this in silver – as this was Ted’s favourite version.”

And that was the end of the announcement.

The album cover seems like a throwback as compared to the band’s most recent albums, the kind of thing we haven’t seen since the days of Ravishing Grimness, Goatlord, and Panzerfaust. That, combined with the album title and Fenriz’s reference to music that is “more serious and primitive than usual”, with “a more solemn/introvert atmosphere”, is very intriguing and highly enticing.

In this case, you can be sure we will follow further news and reveal new music as soon as it happens.