Customer Reviews

F.O.a.D.

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

 

 

So it's obvious at this point that every time Darkthrone puts out a new album, there will be those "tr00 cvlt" folks who hate everything that came after Transylvanian Hunger crapping all over their "new sound"...and by the way, there really is nothing more evil than - gasp! - intentionally misspelling words on the internet! But I digress; with their newest album, F.O.A.D., Fenriz and Nocturno Culto continue with their Celtic Frost/Motorhead/Sabbath worship that has characterized their sound starting when they decided it was OK for album covers to have color on them. Gone are the blastbeats and arpeggiated minor chords, the all-bloodcurdling-scream vocal style, the raw-to-downright godawful recording quality of Darkthrone's classic period. This does not evoke the images of frostbitten forests and Satanic rituals that they used to; instead, what we have here is beer-swilling, headbanding, leather, denim & spikes METAL, but still retaining that sick death-obsessed evil twist that Darkthrone has always had.

Being a huge fan of those first four albums - Panzerfaust especially - I will say that I really like what these dudes are doing nowadays. There's no way to compare F.O.A.D. to Under A Funeral Moon, and no point in trying; Darkthrone do whatever they want, and at this point they want to pay tribute to the early metal gods who got them (and all of the original Norwegian black metal bands) into this in the first place. As far as the album itself goes, it sure isn't perfect. Lyrically it is often just plain dumb, and musically it is spotty at times. But when it works, as it more often than not does, it works real well. The guitars still have that deathlike distortion to them that you've heard ever since A Blaze In The Northern Sky, just put through a classic metal filter. The opener, "These Shores Are Damned" features some excellent, slightly doomy riffs that would have fit right in on Morbid Tales or To Mega Therion. The next track, "Canadian Metal", is one of the album's highlights, albeit with some pretty unusual (and specific) subject matter. Fenriz sings this one, I believe, although it might as well be Thomas Gabriel Warrior on the microphone. The chorus is a total fist-pumper, and Nocturno Culto even throws in a King Diamond/ Rob Halford-like falsetto wail toward the end! You ain't gonna hear that on the new Marduk album. "The Church of Real Metal" and "The Banners of Old" have some Sabbath-like dirges, and the title track, also sung by Fenriz (this time doing his best Lemmy impression), is a more upbeat thrasher that tells you exactly what you can do if you aren't with Darkthrone. "Splitkein Fever" has a really raw sound that harkens back to the band's early days, but musically doesn't do that much for me; I'd say it's a contender for weakest track on the album. "Raised on Rock" is another one championing the music the guys love, and has a definite Motorhead/ Venom feel. "Pervertor of the 7 Gates" reminds me a bit of Hellhammer's "Triumph of Death", and again showcases some uncannily realistic Tom Warrior imitation. The final song, "Wisdom of the Dead" ends the proceedings on a morbid, dirgey note, reminding potential naysayers that just because the band doesn't recycle the sound of their first four albums, doesn't mean they've turned into Stryper. This isn't gonna earn the band any European Grammy nominations (unlike their friends in Satyricon), but it's tribute music. It's not meant to be groundbreaking, just good, and that it is.

Metal (and Black Metal for that matter) wasn't always about professionalism and maturation, and this is a celebration of that rush of forbidden glee you got when you first heard those songs about sex, drugs, murder and Satan. Sure, Fenriz's attempts to impersonate Lemmy and Tom Warrior might be a little silly, as well as the 8th-grade level of intelligence in a lot of the lyrics, but that's the POINT! None of the classical music keyboard frills or the prog influence that so many BM bands adopted as they grew older. Darkthrone have gone the complete opposite direction, and obviously alienated a lot of their fans. I'm not trying to be one of those elitists who claims to "get" what they're doing, and if you don't like it you just don't understand. I just think it's really refreshing that a Black Metal band - and one of the most revered and influential ones at that - puts out music that is actually fun. That's right, fun. Brutal, raw, evil, stupid fun!

If you have any respect or knowledge of the roots of Black Metal, then at very least you can appreciate this album. If you are "tr00" as you claim and yet dismiss this album as garbage just because it rocks and doesn't simply blast its way into your brain, or because it is so blatantly derivative, then you need to go back to Metal school. Try and tell me Darkthrone's Celtic Frost influence hadn't already shown itself all over Panzerfaust. Try and tell me that Bathory's legendary first album wasn't total Venom worship, and for that matter try and tell me that you could take Venom seriously half the time. Try and tell me Hellhammer didn't sound like an amateurish punk band, and find ONE Mercyful Fate song with a blastbeat. Then maybe I'll change my mind. No wait, I won't. None of that made any of those bands any less great than they were. Darkthrone recognize this greatness, and they play the music they love. If you don't like it, you can...well, see the album title.

Darkthrone does it again and puts out another tasty treat of a record. They've been doing this since their inception. I don't need to explain the content of this LP. If you've been listening to Darkthrone then you already understand why you should rush out to your nearest record store and buy this. Change is good - especially when done for the right reasons. Enjoy!

Darkthrone are now older and wiser, and they can write whatever type of music they feel like. And I respect them a whole hell of a lot for that. Be warned this album is extremely different from the rest of thier catalog, but it's good material just keep an open mind...This was the best release of 2007 in my personal opinion of course.

Following them from their early rehearsal demo days as BLACK DEATH, I've lost interest in DARKTHRONE after "Panzerfaust", just like with any other band of the by-then awfully standardized and sterile black metal scene. My attention was revitalized after discovering the crusty influenced "The Cult is Alive" between my daughter's CDs. And then, attracted by the punkish cover, reminding me of a BROKEN BONES album, I grab a copy of "F.O.A.D."... And I drowned within that sea of nihilistic riffing that brought memories of a long-gone era. What I most liked about the music is the demo quality of the recording, that lost beauty of a raw, primal, poorly-produced 8-track stuff that dominated most underground NWOBHM and early thrash albums. A dogmatically obvious choice and a tribute to those legendary times of the tape trading underground.

I'm not gonna go track-by-track here. I don't even believe that the guys from DARKTHRONE also give a f**@@k about individual tracks. I've been to heavy rock since the mid 70ies and NWOBHM plus the 2nd wave of punk bands during the early 80ies; then thrash metal, proto-death and early uncompromising blackness. DARKTHRONE have also been through all this; from URIAH HEEP to NECROVORE and "F.O.A.D." is the swan song of an era when purity and dedication to an uncompromised stance culminated the music.

MOTORHEAD, TANK, VENOM, WARFARE, PILEDRIVER, MEFISTO, ACID (Belg), KAAOS, PUKE, ANTI-CYMEX, MOB 47, SIEGE, DISCHARGE, REPULSION, AMEBIX, VARUKERS, DOOM, PARTISANS, SODOM, CIRITH UNGOL, CHAOTIC DISCHORD, VULCAIN, ANTISECT, CELTIC FROST, MORBID, AUNT MARY, POISON (Ger), WHIPLASH, ANARCHUS, DISORDER, CHAOS UK, RIISTETYT, HELLBASTARD, early SARCOFAGO... the list of purity is endless! New yet old DARKTHRONE pay homage to all of us raised on rock, who have been there and still haven't surrender to the corporate scum that rules most post-90ies modern metal.

In conclusion it's only rock 'n' roll as it always have been. Relentlessly old school. Sold my soul within its highs & lows for the 45 years of my life and listening to this sh#@t is getting personal. Musical qualities? Originality? Instrumental progression? Forget it, non-compromised regression is the key here. So what if you already have a cup of that stuff before? This album is not about music dudes, it's about attitude. An utterly personal affair. If you can't dig it then F.O.A.D.!!!

Darkthrone is among many Norwegian bands that have evolved themselves into a kind of black,gritty,rock n roll metal sound. It all started when Abbath formed the band I, and Shagrath formed the band Chrome Division. Both worship at the alter of Motorhead. Satyricon's Now Diabolical is also a heavy Metal sounding CD. All are exceptional recordings. Darkthrone's contribution to the blackened metal, F.O.A.D. and their last CD: The cult is alive, are fun, interesting, and a blast to listen to. Not heavy or serious, this is fun heavy party music. I like this new sound these guys have created. It beats the hell out of an album of non stop blast beats and screaming vocals. Not for the elite Kvltish Black Metal fan.

It's always exciting when one of my favourite bands puts out a new record, especially when considering the circumstances. I mean, the album could blow, be just another release or be regarded as a masterpiece.In the case of F**k Off and Die, the Norwegians choose to continue the style of Hate Them, Sardonic Wrath (which I think is the standout of their recent releases), and The Cult Is Alive. They also let their influences come across more than ever, as the liner notes for every song include specific influences. I'd rather just have the lyrics. While those aren't included, we do get some nice shots of the band on a camping trip or whatever. But back to the music. "These Shores Are Damned" is a pretty solid opener with a powerful riff, which the sticker on the wrapper claims Darkthrone is "the undisputed master" of. It also labels them as an "evil rock/black metal" band. Notice how their records no longer claim to be "True Norwegian Black Metal," either. "Canadian Metal," a song about Canadian metal, has Fenriz on vocals. A bit similar to "Graveyard Slut" as far as tempo and riff structure go, it's the lyrics and vocals that kill the song for me. I really could care less if these guys like Canadian metal so much, enough to write a about. Also, Nocturno Culto's vocals during the chorus are so annoying, as he attemps an 80's wail. "The Church of Real Metal" and "The Banners of Old" are nothing special, just mid-tempo rockers. "F.O.A.D.," a nod to the Venom tune (although not a cover of), does not actually state to be influenced by Venom. Actually, I found this song to be a highpoint of the album, despite Fenriz's voxx. However, after a while, the song gets a bit boring. As does "Splitkein Fever," which is boring throughout and is probably the weakest song on the record. By this point, I start to lose interest. "Raised on Rock" has some catchy bits, but really is far from relevant. Oh well, Darkthrone just doesn't care. "Perverter of the 7 Gates" is somewhat headbang worthy, but like I said, my interest has already wanned. Here, I could just shut the album off and not really miss anything; yet my loyalty allows me to finish off F.O.A.D. "Wisdom of the Dead" just sort of drags along and then it's done. I've given the ablum only a couple of listens now and cannot help but come to the conclusion that this might be Darkthrone's weakest album. In fact, it's the only one I don't really care for, at least as of yet. A huge step down from their last 3 releases, but I guess that's what they were going for. Perhaps I'm just not in the mood right now. Well, at least there is Mayhem's Ordo Ad Chao to remind me what black metal is still capable of.

Darkthrone the masters of black metal return with this hardcore true black metal masterpiece. This album has all the metal madness and riffs you would ecpext from this amazing underrated band.

This is the best Darkthrone ever. They play what they want to play and nothing else. If you are a mindless satan rules type of fan you will hate this. If you are a true metal fan with an open mind buy it. This is metal music by metal lovers for metal lovers!!!!!!! ALL HAIL DARKTHRONE!!!!

There is nothing new here at all. This isn't black metal. Its pseudo punk, and not good. I have no idea why some other reviews say its fun. Its really boring and one of their worst albums so far. I don't care if they play music they want to play. That doesn't mean its good, cause its not. Don't buy if you want TRUE NORWEGIAN BLACK METAL. Like what darkthrone said they were.