Darkthrone
Too Old Too Cold EP
Peaceville
Records 2006
Darkthrone is one of the few "cult" acts inspiring both hatred from dissenters
and fanaticism from adherents of their black vomit. There has been a lot
of hype in the build up to the release of the new album "the Cult is Alive."
One of the main issues of contempt people have displayed is the release of a
Darkthrone "single." I don't see the problem here. I think people
are focusing too much on the word Single. If it had been labeled an EP
people couldn't have complained because too many "true" bands release EPs.
Anyways I am getting off on a tangent. I need to focus on the music not
the scene politics. So how does the music on this EP stack up? The
best way I can put it is if you like modern Darkthrone material then you will
love this. The title track has a really driving Black and Roll main riff
with a tad more energy than some of the more recent material has
contained. I mean this is possibly one of the best Darkthrone songs in
several albums. That main riff is such a monster and subconsciously
inspires me to raise my fist in a sign of defiance. On the second track, High on Cold War we have a faster punk and Hellhammer
inspired track that actually contains some guitar solos, gasp! I am sure
the purists will freak about this too. The vokillz on this track are
performed by Grutle of Enslaved. Truth be told I have never heard
him sound more like Nocturno Culto than on this effort. After this we have
the most shocking revelation, a coversong. It is shocking for several
reasons, who it is of (Souxsie and the Banshees), the fact that they actually
did a coversong, and the actual performance of it. Having heard the
original it is soooooo strange to actually hear Darkthrone's bastardizing of the
song. I mean it is not horrible but the vokillz on it are hard to take at
first but after awhile the whole effort grew on me and I have come to truly
appreciate it. the final track Graveyard Slut is awesome with
a Slaughter feeling mixed with some Celtic Frost inspired sludge. The main riff
with its headbanging drive truly "rocks" with Venom or Motorhead's zeal.
The production on this EP is masterfully dirty yet powerful. They did an
excellent job with their own studio. The cover art is a primitive
monochrome dedication to Darkthrone's religious opposition. As always Eric
Masicotte delivered a work of art in complete aesthetic harmony with
Darkthrone's ethos. This EP gives me great hope for the new album.
Not that I really had any doubts that Darkthrone would deliver. But with
the hype surrounding their return to Peaceville and all the surrounding antics
of an upcoming video, a single, a coversong, and a new album I was afraid that
the hype might overwhelm the project. I realize this couldn't be further
from the truth. Now I will have to wait anxiously on the edge of my seat
for the new album. A month has never seemed so long.