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country: NOR
label: Peaceville
Released at: May 12, 2026
format: CD
Condition: New
Snapper Music Ltd.
52 Lisson Street
London
NW1 5DF
Old Star displays a mastery of the art of the riff, with its 6 epic tracks taking in the best of the old school of Heavy and Extreme Metal combined with a large dose of Doom channelled through the grime of the underground.
With the highly revered Norwegians remaining ever-dedicated to the art of the riff after 35 years of existence, Darkthrone returns for album number nineteen and a new dose of Metallic godliness. On the back of 2019’s triumphant Old Star opus, the duo of Nocturno Culto & Fenriz present a 41 minute maelstrom of Epic Black Heavy Metal across five sprawling compositions. Organic and dynamic, the album is an exploration of the finest vintage Metal and the best of Doom, all delivered in the unmistakable Darkthrone style (whilst also incorporating instruments such as the Moog to further expand upon these soundscapes).
Eschewing the process of using their own Necrohell II studios - which has served the band so well over the last 15 years - and welcoming a change of environment and the opportunity to experiment with new ideas, Eternal Hails…… was recorded at Chaka Khan Studio in Oslo, and engineered by Ole Ovstedal and Silje Høgevold, breathing new life into the sound while retaining the essence of Darkthrone’s natural, raw feeling.
The cover artwork features the piece Pluto and Charon (1972), from renowned science fiction artist David A. Hardy; a hugely inspirational image for both Fenriz and Nocturno Culto spanning several decades, and this also stands as a symbolic link between the genre-bending styles apparent on Darkthrone’s earliest works, to those same traits evident on Eternal Hails….
CD in jewel case
Carried on the brisk wind of eager rock, with foundations in black, thrash, doom and heavy metal, Astral Fortress is the 2022 album of stellar, eclectic old metal from the legendary Darkthrone.
With a seemingly endless dungeon full of heavy metal influences channelled through Darkthrone’s dynamic riff-machine, plus increasing inspirations taken from their own back catalogue, Darkthrone has become very much its own beast within the metal world. Though sprinkled with atmospheric touches, such as synthesisers and mellotron, the Darkthrone sound remains stripped to the core, primitive and organic.
Astral Fortress was recorded at Chaka Khan Studios in Oslo, the same location used for the Eternal Hails album, with Ole Øvstedal and Silje Høgevold.
From their formation back in 1986, to becoming one of Norways’s finest musical exports (with a number of highly revered black metal masterpieces released in the early 1990s helping to solidify their legacy), Darkthrone has continued to evolve and challenge in equal measure, throughout their illustrious recording career spanning over three decades. And now, the ever-productive duo of Nocturno and Fenriz continue their own metallic saga with a new selection of fine, vintage sounding headbanging classics in the making.
Black vinyl .
With a seemingly endless dungeon full of heavy metal influences channelled through Darkthrone’s dynamic riff-machine, plus increasing inspirations taken from their own back catalogue, Darkthrone has become very much its own beast within the metal world. Though sprinkled with atmospheric touches, such as synthesisers and mellotron, the Darkthrone sound remains stripped to the core, primitive and organic.
Astral Fortress was recorded at Chaka Khan Studios in Oslo, the same location used for the Eternal Hails album, with Ole Øvstedal and Silje Høgevold.
From their formation back in 1986, to becoming one of Norways’s finest musical exports (with a number of highly revered black metal masterpieces released in the early 1990s helping to solidify their legacy), Darkthrone has continued to evolve and challenge in equal measure, throughout their illustrious recording career spanning over three decades. And now, the ever-productive duo of Nocturno and Fenriz continue their own metallic saga with a new selection of fine, vintage sounding headbanging classics in the making.
Darkthrone's legendary 1989 demo, including additional tracks from Bootleg TV (1989) and rare rehearsal tracks from 1990.
Darkthrone started in 1986 under the name of Black Death. Although becoming known the world over as a black metal band crucial to the lasting legacy of the genre, Darkthrone began more as an extreme metal band utilising elements of thrash, death and doom metal into their early compositions.
Cromlech was Darkthrone’s final demo release, before a deal was inked with Peaceville Records. The demo was recorded in 1989 with the line-up of Gylve Nagell (Drums), Ted Skjellum (Guitars/vocals), Ivar Enger (Guitars) and Dag Nilsen (Bass); a line-up which would remain in place for the revered Soulside Journey and A Blaze in the Northern Sky albums.
As well as the iconic demo itself – containing tracks which would go on to form part of the Soulside Journey debut - this release also contains additional tracks from the Bootleg TV Oslo recordings in 1989, including a cover of Celtic Frost’s Visual Aggression. Also includes a trio of instrumental tracks from a rehearsal tape originally made for Peaceville founder Paul “Hammy” Halmshaw in 1990.
Vinyl with printed inner sleeve. Featuring the original Cromlech art/logo.
With a legacy of audial treasures now spanning more than 35 years & with the fountain of creativity ever flowing, Norway’s Darkthrone return with their latest venture through classic riffs & vintage sounding metal in the shape of the epic new seven track studio opus, ‘It Beckons Us All’.
Seeing the longstanding duo of Fenriz & Nocturno Culto uniting once more, ‘It Beckons Us All’ follows on the heels of 2022’s revered ‘Astral Fortress’ album, with what could be considered an even more refined, challenging & diverse set of timeless metal anthems from the uncompromising trailblazers; from the melodic, to the sombre & atmospheric, to the blackened dirges emanating from Darkthrone’s highly distinguishable riffing, as well as a nod to influences such as Celtic Frost along the way.
Recorded once again at Chaka Khan Studios in the band’s native Norway, ‘It Beckons Us All’ was mastered by Jack Control at Enormous Door, with artwork courtesy of Polish artist Zbigniew Bielak.
With an expansive catalogue consisting of a multitude of various genre classics, Darkthrone first arrived on the global stage with their atmospheric & technically accomplished death metal debut, ‘Soulside Journey’ back in 1991, followed by the milestone in black metal that is ‘A Blaze In The Northern Sky’ released only the following year, after the intended second album ‘Goatlord’ was essentially scrapped to make way for something more primitive & paving the way for Darkthrone’s close association with the black metal genre over many years. And so, with an endlessly progressing (and even regressing) evolution which has seen the band successfully delving into many sub-genres of metal & punk, ‘It Beckons Us All’ stands as one of the band’s most complete & vast works to date.
In 2026—marking the 40th anniversary of their original formation under the name Black Death—the legendary Norwegian duo Darkthrone, comprised of Fenriz and Nocturno Culto, returns with a new high-caliber opus devoted to old metal, under the banner of “Pre-Historic Metal.”
Pre-Historic Metal features eight tracks shaped by primordial epics and colossal riffs, driven by an organic sound infused with the ever-present spirit of the ’70s and ’80s. It stands as a worthy continuation of the mastery already showcased in It Beckons Us All (2024). This new chapter unfolds as a vast odyssey through the sonic landscapes of Thrash, Black, Heavy, and Doom Metal. Enhanced by punishing, aggressive guitar work, Darkthrone blend a cauldron of wild creativity with a nod to the songwriting methods that defined their late-’80s beginnings—now delivered with a more refined craftsmanship.
This edition of Pre-Historic Metal is available in multiple formats: CD in jewel case with a 12-page booklet, standard black vinyl, limited edition purple marble vinyl, and a deluxe limited box set. The box set includes an exclusive 180g splatter vinyl with gatefold sleeve and alternative artwork by Maciej Kamuda, an exclusive cassette edition, a CD version, a booklet featuring an interview with Harald Fossberg on the making of Pre-Historic Metal, and two posters.
In 2026—marking the 40th anniversary of their original formation under the name Black Death—the legendary Norwegian duo Darkthrone, comprised of Fenriz and Nocturno Culto, returns with a new high-caliber opus devoted to old metal, under the banner of “Pre-Historic Metal.”
Pre-Historic Metal features eight tracks shaped by primordial epics and colossal riffs, driven by an organic sound infused with the ever-present spirit of the ’70s and ’80s. It stands as a worthy continuation of the mastery already showcased in It Beckons Us All (2024). This new chapter unfolds as a vast odyssey through the sonic landscapes of Thrash, Black, Heavy, and Doom Metal. Enhanced by punishing, aggressive guitar work, Darkthrone blend a cauldron of wild creativity with a nod to the songwriting methods that defined their late-’80s beginnings—now delivered with a more refined craftsmanship.
This edition of Pre-Historic Metal is available in multiple formats: CD in jewel case with a 12-page booklet, standard black vinyl, limited edition purple marble vinyl, and a deluxe limited box set. The box set includes an exclusive 180g splatter vinyl with gatefold sleeve and alternative artwork by Maciej Kamuda, an exclusive cassette edition, a CD version, a booklet featuring an interview with Harald Fossberg on the making of Pre-Historic Metal, and two posters.
SPECIAL MULTI-FORMAT LIMITED BOX SET EDITION OF THE NEW STUDIO ALBUM OF PRIMITIVE METAL FROM THE NORSE CAVEMEN.
This special edition of ‘Pre-Historic Metal’ is presented as a limited boxset, & contains:
- Exclusive splatter 180gm heavyweight vinyl with gatefold sleeve & exclusive alternate cover artwork by Maciej Kamuda.
Splatter | Black + Transparent + Silver + Orange LP
- Exclusive cassette edition.
- CD edition.
- Booklet including an interview with Harald Fossberg on the making of ‘Pre-Historic Metal’.
- 2 posters
In a year which marks the 40th anniversary since the initial formation - under the moniker of Black Death - of what would subsequently grow into influential genre legends, 2026 marks the return of the imperishable Norwegian duo of Fenriz & Nocturno Culto for their new opus of high calibre old metal, under the banner of ‘Pre-Historic Metal’. As Fenriz himself proclaims of the title’s symbolic origin, “Prehistoric is a loose term. I just figure it’s our VIBE, our take on things & it’s more a statement that we use old style to create something new”.
‘Pre-Historic Metal’ contains eight tracks of primal epics & gargantuan riffs with organic sound & the ever-present permeating spirit of the 70’s & 80’s, for a new continuation of the mastery witnessed on 2024’s ‘It Beckons Us All’. This next chapter in Darkthrone’s extensive & ongoing catalogue presents a vast odyssey through the sonic landscapes of Thrash, Black, Heavy & Doom Metal &, adorned with a punishing & “in your face” guitar presence, Darkthrone stirs the cauldron of savage creativity with a nod to the writing methods which were indicative of their earlier works of the late 80’s, but with a more refined craft.
'Pre-Historic Metal' was recorded at Chaka Khan Studios, Oslo, with production work conducted by Ole Øvstedal, Silje Høgevold & Mads Luis. Mastering was carried out by Jack Control at Enormous Door, & Maor Appelbaum Mastering.
