Customer Reviews

Circle the Wagons

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

The mighty Darkthrone once again deliver the metal goods in spades. No compromise, no mercy--100% METAL.

From the onset of the album opener 'Those Treasures Will Never Befall You,' it is evident that Darkthrone have all but shed the trappings of 'black' metal. Instead, the album brandishes a variety of traditional metal stylings, which pay homage to the metal greats of yore, while at the same time retaining the signature Darkthrone attitude and sound.

Fenriz has employed even more clean vocals this time around, most evident on the title track and 'Those Treasures Will Never Befall You.' They are used sparingly and tastefully though--they add to the epic feel of said tracks and reference the approach of Manilla Road. The few solos throughout C.T.W. are among the finest Darkthrone have ever recorded, especially on the brilliant 'Running For Borders,' played over a monstrous Sabbathian riff. And speaking of riffs, C.T.W. is a guaranteed head-banger.

The production is also top notch, and very much the same as it has been on F.O.A.D. and Dark Thrones & Black Flags; a very organic, live sound which balances all instruments/vocals in the mix while maintaining a raw edge. C.T.W. also demonstrates an important lesson which many metal bands have forgotten, which is how to write metal songs which actually rock. For those looking for familiar, orthodox black metal--look elsewhere. Darkthrone are operating on a level above and beyond any scene or stylistic pigeonhole.

Also, bravo to Dennis Dread for the awesome album artwork.

Highlights: Running For Borders, Stylized Corpse, Black Mountain Totem

Most people tend to forget that bands like Venom are the main reason thrash and black metal both exist. The last few Darkthrone albums have captured that early 80's sound. If you like metal you most likely will enjoy this record. For fans of Motorhead, Venom, Slayer.

this album is great because of the riffs lyrics drums ect. living in Norway definetly helps keep the great new and fresh riffs and ideas flowing not like some of the other recycled repeated garbage i have heard before. longtime fan keep the true Norwegian black metal comeing!!!

This is such a perfect album! It's sooo different than anything else... Fenriz is def one of the best drummers of all times... He just knows how to make awesome, memorable songs... I have nothing bad to say about anything he does or anything Darkthrone does for that matter... (Red Planet is great!) IF you Don't Have Circle the Wagons you're gay... I can't stop listening to it... It stomps stuff like Mastodon into the ground(of course)... It's true metal 1000% I just wish i got the frickin shirt before it sold out!!! Every Darkthrone Album is different than the next. It never gets old... Thank you Darkthrone!!! I focus and learn from Fenriz's drumming and i've become a better musician that way!!! Seriously buy this album!!! You won't be dissapointed... there's no way! If you're into good true metal this one takes you back to the days of great records that you will play far into the future!!!

...Even though I was pretty sure I wouldn't like it. Self fulfilling prophecy? It's a possibility.

I listened to this album all the way through once, because I believe(usually)in giving things a fair chance. However I will most likely never feel the need to listen to this again. I'm not going to render judgment on this music's goodness or badness, because if I did so I would be no better then the other 'professors' who comment on things they don't understand and know nothing about. Suffice it to say however, that the name 'Darkthrone' on the front of this is likely to give many listeners an incorrect picture of what lies inside.(I don't even know what genre this is). If you, like me, find works such as 'Transilvanian Hunger' to be a pinnacle of beautiful art, please know, that is not remotely what is here.

It may be hard at times to not feel disappointed by this, but unlike some others, I feel neither angry, nor resentful.The thing about art is that true art is created not to please some consumer, but to please the artist. Many groups we know and love have performed such 'genre-hops' in the past, off the top of my head; Enslaved, Satyricon, Immortal. Though of course in these cases the change was less extreme. But Darkthrone has always been extreme.

In summation, if you are looking for something different, go ahead and give it a try. For those of us who end up not liking it, I would encourage that we refrain from bile-spitting and other negativity, instead we should admire the fact that the artist has chosen not to bow to expectations, but to do whatever the f*** they feel like and hold on to their artistic integrity, which many have abandoned for the siren call of fame and money.

Let's keep this short and bitter. Who is this crappy punk band and what happened to Darkthrone!? Don't waste your time on this one if you're a true black metal fan. Their "new sound" is absolute garbage.