Darkthrone’s output over the past thirty-five years has made them a metal institution, and with new material often coming out every other year they show no signs of slowing down. While they may be best known to most metal listeners for their role in shaping black metal in the 90s, those that have kept with Fenriz and Nocturno Culto in the following decades know to expect material that’s filled with the spirit of everything heavy, speed, and doom related. Each album emphasizes different elements of this mixture of styles, and while some of their material has been a bit hit or miss when it comes to staying power there’s something to be admired for their dedication to specific sound and time periods. Since 2019’s Old Star Darkthrone’s been in a very doom-centric space, and while I found Eternal Hails… very appealing with its warmer prog-laden moments and nods to Black Sabbath and Candlemass, the two albums that came after didn’t quite stand out nearly as much from a songwriting perspective. But if you’ve stuck with their discography long enough you’ll know that after a few albums of similar cadences and stylistic influences eventually something different emerges, and that’s what Pre-Historic Metal brings to the table. Shifting the needle back towards heavy/speed metal and first wave black metal with some of the doom remaining, there are quite a few curveballs and downright fun moments that make for a bit of a wilder ride than Darkthrone has offered in recent memory.
The core approach on display throughout Pre-Historic Metal isn’t necessarily a huge leap from anything that the band has been doing for at least two decades, but there’s a fluidity to the songwriting that results in more unexpected moments compared to some of their more recent outputs. Initially opener “They Found Out One Of My Graves” seems like its heading into familiar black/heavy metal territory, as the driving tempo and jagged tonality reminded me of 2016’s Arctic Thunder initially, but after the halfway point it shakes things up with some murkier leads and proggy 70s sounding effects that channel some of the same atmosphere as Eternal Hails…. The title track also shows the group has brought back some of their speed, as the mid-point has some of the fastest and most black metal sounding riffing that the duo has released in quite some time. There’s nothing truly outlandish stylistically, as everything still falls within the realms of black, heavy, doom, or punk, but there are less predictable transitions between them this time around and the way everything flows makes for more standout moments. Sometimes this comes in the form of the surprisingly mellow and haunting melodies that make “Siberian Thaw” an early standout, or the very spacey “So I Marched To Your Sunken Empire”, but the shifts from moodier and slower atmosphere to in your face heavy/speed metal riffs really made this one click. The production values also fit well with what Darkthrone has offered on their last few records, retaining some space between the instruments that lets some of the prog elements shine through without losing that grittiness and crisper analog tone.
Darkthrone has often had a sense of playfulness to their music, and this is on full display throughout Pre-Historic Metal. Whether it’s the way that Fenriz yells out “Nocturno Culto” when its time for them to switch who’s singing on the title track, or the different laughs and oughs that have been left in from the studio recordings on the end of many of the songs, you can hear the fun these two are having on the finished product. Speaking of Fenriz, his vocals are back in a big way on this album and you’ll hear plenty of the falsettos and other sung pitches that add more of a classic metal and wilder flair to the material. It’s reminiscent of some of the songs from The Underground Resistance, as this is the last Darkthrone album where it felt like he was behind the mic almost as much as Nocturno Culto. On that side of the spectrum not much has changed, as his reliable and raspy screams/growls continue to add the right amount of intensity to the songs. You may still hear a bit more of the playful side if you pay attention to the lyrics, as no matter who’s behind the mic on this one there are some interesting lines that one can pick out.
As with any of the numerous albums from Darkthrone’s discography, if the post 90s efforts weren’t your speed I wouldn’t expect Pre-Historic Metal to significantly change your mind. But if you’ve found the band’s devotion to the 70s and 80s that have spanned the full range of heavy, doom, and black, there’s something about the way the writing this time around that results in more memorable and chant worthy moments. The renewed speed brings a different energy compared to the last few albums, and with more of the playful elements and dips into spacey prog territory I found myself really enjoying this one. It’s on par with later efforts like The Underground Resistance based on my personal tastes, and if any of that sounds like it will also click with your musical palette then do yourself a favor and give this a listen. Pre-Historic Metal is available from Peaceville Records.
-Review by Chris Dahlberg