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Rating:
Darkthrone is the band that has influenced me the most musically (and not only), thanks to albums like "Under A Funeral Moon," which have indelibly marked the history of the darkest music. I still remember the first time I listened to that record... I was struck by those bass lines so bare and essential, yet throbbing and primitive.
Thirteen years (and nine albums) have passed since the release of that masterpiece (their third), a time span in which the Norwegian duo has slowly evolved (or rather devolved) their sound by blending increasingly retro influences, arriving at this pretentious-titled album. To be honest, their works starting from "Ravishing Grimness," where they embarked on the "new course," haven't impressed me much, as they could no longer convey that macabre and dark aura of their best times, despite remaining good records.
With "The Cult is Alive," Darkthrone certainly doesn't retrace their steps. Instead, they completely forget those atmospheres that made them famous but release an album of definite impact, catchy, and well-produced. The attitude is now rock'n'roll, the songwriting is very simple (as always), and they draw heavily upon sacred monsters like Motorhead and Celtic Frost (in some songs almost plagiarizing). The guitars still have the typical "Darkthrone" sound but this time are more powerful and well-defined; Nocturno Culto's voice is as deep as usual, but the singing rhythms differ, more pronounced (listening to "Atomic Coming," one of the most representative tracks, reminds me of "Agent Orange" by Sodom).
The whole album is based on medium tempos (occasionally medium-fast), and after fifteen years, you can hear Fenriz do a double bass passage (!!), and he also sings the entire "Graveyard Slut," which seems to come straight from "Morbid Tales" by Celtic Frost. Among the album's strengths are its homogeneity and the absence of tone drops. I poorly digested their choice to release a single, from such a "cult" band, one doesn't expect such things, but you know, times change... and fortunately, there's always a respectable underground scene (black-metal), especially American, French, Norwegian, and lately even Italian.
The final rating (3.5, please debaser... introduce the half vote... if you like) would be higher if I could forget what Darkthrone has done in the past.
More than a sufficient album, no longer for the few... but for the many...
Tracklist Lyrics and Videos
01 The Cult of Goliath (04:01)
666 steps ahead
I can not be traced
You sense my presence here
Like the fear of cancer
HAIL BABYLON!
The cult of Goliath
Scraping on my fence
Feeble religious slugs
You can not come inside
Inferior to the might
You criticize the Cult
Stumbling confidence under my blackfoot
Uh!
Hail Babylon!
The cult of Goliath
Superior crown wielder
Dome of exclution
02 Too Old, Too Cold (03:03)
Nothing to prove
Just a hellish rock'n roll freak
You call your metal black
It's just spastic lame and weak
We're too old
Too cold
Too old
And too cold
Second to none
Like an angel unfucking born
Down with people
It's done
your attitude
It' stillborn
We're too old
Too fucking cold
Nothing to prove
Just a hellish rock'n roll freak
You call your metal black
It's just spastic lame and weak
Second to none
Like an angel unfucking born
Down with people
It's done
your attitude
It' stillborn
We're too old
Too cold
Too old
and too cold
05 Underdogs and Overlords (04:01)
Revel in the glory of system failure
When arrogance marries power
Conceal with the coak of philanthope
Let the stinking dogs lie
Evil takes all sides
Fast and untouchable
True, hard, raw, and crusty
Underdogs and overlords
På betryggende avstand av lysende intellekt
Fåfengt tro på dine kristine avguder
Hvert eneste frafall bsmetreens take
Hardhjerta rikosjetter i ditt tvilende sinn
Smidd av hat
Lenket til grimhst
True, hard, raw, and crusty
Underdogs and overlords
Evil takes all sides
Fast and untouchable
True, hard, raw, and crusty
Underdogs and overlords
Revel in the glory of system failure
When arrogance marries power
Conceal with the coak of philanthope
Let the stinking dogs lie
08 Tyster på Gud (03:08)
Det sekulære tyranniet
Tyster på gud
Ja vi tjener rått
På deres etiske masochisme
Du føler avmakt
Du skal ikke ha andre guder enn meg
Nye former for totalitær tenkning
Hånd i hånd med stagnerande nedrustning
HAHAHA, for faen
Du fåfengte kontrafakiske historiesskriver
You should be fed to the living dead of Nairobi
Du føler avmakt
Du skal ikke ha andre guder enn meg
Det sekulære tyranniet
Tyster på gud
Ja vi tjener rått
På deres etiske masochisme
09 Shut Up (04:45)
Shut Up, Shut Up
I'll stick to my guns
While you stick to yours
Sit Down
Let's not pretend
That I'll have to use force
Are you Satan?
I don't think so
You copy my style
And you call yourself a man
You want a piece of me?
Yeah... you do
Begging for this and asking for that
Shut Up, Fucking Twat
Shut Up, Fucking Twat
Shut Up, Shut Up
I'll stick to my guns
Now you stick to yours
Sit Down
Let's not pretend
That I'll have to use force
Are you satan?
I don't think so
You copy my style
And call yourself a man
Never could fathom my hate
Unable to take a hint
You haven't got a clue
Satanism is lost on you
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Other reviews
By fjelltronen
"The vocal parts indeed reveal themselves as the true strong point of the album as they perfectly align with the band’s 'new' musical direction."
"This album has nothing commercial, and impact to share in abundance, perhaps even more than in the past!"
