Darkthrone - Eternal Hails......

Why all the ellipses?

(Originally submitted to the Metal Archives on July 12th, 2021)  

Darkthrone should require no introduction at this point. The band’s storied catalogue spans 3 decades full of works that have consistently gone against the grain in terms of what was expected from them. From death metal, to the legendary “Unholy Trinity”, to crust punk, they’ve always done whatever they wanted without any care for trends and what was popular. The 2010’s saw the band indulge in music that inspired them, showing us their passion for heavy metal of old, with albums like The Underground Resistance and Arctic Thunder. Eternal Hails...... (I am not putting the ellipses again) is a continuation of the band’s exploration of old school sounds, this time those of doom metal.

Like with most of the duo’s releases over the past decade, there are plenty of moments that bring to mind legends that were a great influence on the band, such as Celtic Frost and Black Sabbath, the latter of which being more prevalent here. “Hate Cloak” for example is pure doom bliss, with its slow-as-molasses riffing and hefty chugs pushing it forward throughout its 10 minute runtime. That being said, the black metal we all know and love is still present as seen in “His Master’s Voice”, an energetic blackened doom opener that perfectly sets the tone for the rest of the album with the tremolo riffing at the start being offset by the slower second half of the song. It’s stuff like that that shows that Darkthrone have become masters of their craft and can make a song that while having clear influences is still undoubtedly theirs.

The production is another one of the album’s main strengths, with its organic instruments sounding raw yet powerful. The guitars sound hefty while the bass adds more texture and provides an excellent low end that serves to enhance the record’s atmosphere. While the bass drum does sound a bit too quiet for my liking, the mixing is still quite good, with everything else being audible at all times.

For how enjoyable this album is, it’s not exactly flawless. There’s precisely one track that didn’t quite stick the landing for me, “Wake of the Awakened”, which just passed without leaving too much of an impression. It’s not a bad track, just not as good as the rest. Every song here serves a purpose and has its own standout moments, like the epic feel of "Voyage to a North Pole Adrift", or the atmospheric outro of "Lost Arcane City of Uppakra". "Wake of the Awakened" is more of an all-rounder, and as a result lacks the same impact.

Eternal Hails, like the albums that preceded it, is a love letter to the old school. It wears its influences proudly on its sleeve while still undeniably being a Darkthrone album. Their attitude is what truly makes this album, and the ones that came before, as good as it is. Some people might like it, and others might not. But Fenriz and Nocturno Culto have never really cared for the opinions of others, and their career is a testament to their resilience and desire to make the music they want. For that alone they’ve my eternal respect and admiration, and I cannot wait to see where their whims take us next.

Highlights: His Master’s Voice, Hate Cloak, Voyage to A North Pole Adrift

Rating: 84%