To say Darkthrone have been prolific in their doom metal era would be an understatement. It feels like it was just last year that I was hailing the brilliance of their last masterpiece, Eternal Hails……. Wait a second. That WAS just last year! You seriously mean to tell me that in a little over a year’s time, the dynamic duo of Fenriz and Nocturno Culto have managed to write and record another collection of arcane doom metal done Norwegian style? The answer is a resounding “Yes!” Now granted, for all I know, Astral Fortress could’ve been in the can for a year or two. That said, it doesn’t take away from Darkthrone’s dedication to their craft, especially in these later years.
While Astral Fortress can be described as a doom metal album on the surface, it stands out on its own from past releases, daring the listener to immerse themselves in the new sonic textures of Darkthrone’s ever growing palette. Whereas Eternal Hails…… was more or less an amalgamation of the Hellhammer/Morbid Tales era Celtic Frost worship of Arctic Thunder and Black Sabbath worship of Old Star, Astral Fotress sees the band doubling down on their love of Celtic Frost. This time, they channel the Swiss overlords’ To Mega Therion era, with an emphasis on foreboding atmosphere and progressive songwriting (or at least “progressive” by Darkthrone standards).
This atmosphere is firmly established on the opening “Caravan of Broken Ghosts”. Its first few minutes can be described as pastoral and even, dare I say, calming. This mood is soon interrupted by a d-beat driven thrash passage reminiscent of Frost, the first of many we’ll be treated to on this release. On some songs, the hallmarks of Warrior and Ain are stronger than others. Take “Impeccable Caverns of Satan” for example. From the grunting vocals and weighty riffs, to the contrast of doom and thrash and lo-fi production, this has To Mega Therion written all over it. The same can be said for the massive, infernally majestic “Kevorkian Times”.
On other songs, Darkthrone mesmerizes the listener with riffs and arrangements that are as cerebrally stimulating as they are crushingly bleak. Both “Stalagmite Necklace” and “The Sea Beneath the Seas of the Sea” (How’s that for the best Yes song title that never was?) lumber around, twisting and turning in various directions, the same way a Voivod or 70s Genesis song would. Granted, I’m not saying they sound like Voivod or 70s Genesis, because they most certainly don’t. However, Darkthrone have most certainly incorporated these acts’ songwriting tropes into their own musical stew. This all culminates in the glorious traditional metal infused “Eon 2”: A majestic epic with acoustic interludes, NWOBHM melodies, and all.
While Darkthrone have settled comfortably into the doom metal niche, there’s no telling what the future holds for these trailblazers. Will the next album be a subsequent tribute to Celtic Frost’s avant-garde era of Into the Pandemonium? A Scandinavian atmospheric black metal opus straight out of the mid 90s? A blackened traditional metal release forged in the unholy fire of Mercyful Fate and Death SS (THAT would be cool)? The unpredictable path of Astral Fortress points to all of the above and none of the above. At this rate, we’ll find out the answer next year…or will we?
9 out of 10
Label: Peaceville Records
Genre: Black/Doom Metal
For fans of: Celtic Frost, Hellhammer, Black Sabbath