Darkthrone
F.O.A.D.

Darkthrone have changed.. Oh, have they changed..

That "F.O.A.D.", which stands for Fuck Off And Die, perfectly encapsulates the spirit of this CD, but also a thought that often creeps into our minds. Contrary to what the title might suggest, they no longer seem to want to isolate or hide as in the past, just look at the booklet, full of color photos of Nocturno Culto and Fenriz, which seem even more “warm” when compared to the cold black and white cover.

The opener "These Shores are Damned" starts with the classic sound that the latest Darkthrone have accustomed us to, but suddenly the music changes, as if they were possessed by the spirits of Lemmy and company. The following "Canadian Metal", besides being dedicated to Canadian metal (really?), seems straight out of a Celtic Frost album. Even the vocals are no longer in scream, or at least not always and not in the way Nocturno Culto has accustomed us, and there are moments when it sounds like Tom Warrior is singing, especially when Fenriz takes the microphone (on "Raised on Rock", he even comes out with those "HUH" that made history in "Celtic Frost" CDs!).

As you may have understood, the times of Grim Black Metal are over, Darkthrone are back to the origins that bear the names of Venom, Celtic Frost, and the like, and they want to headbang and make us headbang quite a bit!

The most surprising thing, however, is the variety of the songs, never repetitive or boring, and especially the superb way in which they have managed to blend all their influences, without distorting their sound, moving seamlessly from Black Old School parts to others that distinctly recall the sacred monsters of the '80s. So, at times it feels like being back in front of "a lightning in the northern sky" with a bit of "Transylvanian hunger" beneath "a funeral moon" and then right back to headbanging! Note how Fenriz has increased his contribution to this CD, lending his voice to songs like "F.O.A.D.", "Raised On Rock", and "Pervertor of the 7 Gates" and handling the songwriting of 5 out of 9 songs!!

In conclusion, "F.O.A.D." is quite a fun CD that certainly doesn't look out of place in Darkthrone's discography, even if it's not a perfect album. It's recommended for those who enjoyed the last two CDs, even though, in my opinion, all true Darkthrone fans can't not have it next to the other albums.