This is it. The bands finest record since those pitch black early days when extremity existed in under-produced forest dwelling evil. 'F.O.A.D.' takes us back to the '80s when anthemic destruction was on the cards, bedrooms were draped in vampyric and satanic influence and "Fuck Off And Die" was the spirit of metal. Fenriz and Nocturno have finally, after many attempts by many, many bands, to reenact that pure, energized time of dark excitement. Celtic Frost, Bulldozer, Venom, traditional metal, the NWOBHM, it's all here, a murky, yet accessible time warp of a record that exists on regression but remains the final word in Darkthrone's reign. No other band in the modern era could get away with tracks such as 'Canadian Metal' or 'Raised On Rock'. Motorhead have spewed such oily manifestations for what seems like centuries, but on 'F.O.A.D.' the Norwegian kings have found that icy grave that metal had almost neglected, that time when metal was real, when posers were set fire to, and parents ran back to their dining room worried about their son's infatuation with alleged black magic. 'F.O.A.D.' is no imitation, it's still Darkthrone, and the fingers they stick up to the commercial masses are as big and black as ever, but musically this is a fantastic black thrash assault, mid-paced grimness that thrives on vile yet monstrous vocals, some amazing buzzing, nihilistic riffs, and the wonderful percussion from Fenriz. 'These Shores Are Damned' shows the band at their finest musically, Nocturno producing a tight, Celtic Frost inspired claustrophobia whilst the rank, ominous plod of 'The Banners Of Old' brings back those apocalyptic memories of when I first realised that something deeper lurked behind the seemingly vicious facade of Slayer.
'F.O.A.D.' is a tribute to all the great bands of before, early Voivod, Destruction, Bathory, old school thrash and epic power metal. But it's still very much Darkthrone as they soar beyond the shoulders of giants and exist in their own gloomy realm of arrogance and impurity. Check out that riff on the title cut and the warrior cries, it's the kind of album that hopefully will captivate many new metalheads as they seek something extra through the fog.
Darkthrone are not black metal, they are true heavy metal, capturing the spirit and cavernous power of the genre. Blessed with a great album cover also, the gruesome twosome even list a selection of essential great metal records on the inner sleeve. what more can you ask from the masters of metal.
9/10
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