Origin : Norway
Genre : Black Metal
Release : 1999
Album downloads only available to members
Album Info / Review
**Darkthrone – *Ravishing Grimness***
*A 2015 follow‑up to a half‑decade of silence, *Ravishing Grimness* is Darkthrone’s attempt at a modern black‑metal statement that feels both nostalgic and daring.*
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### Sound
From the opening slash it’s clear that Darkthrone has resurrected the brutal, raw aesthetic that defined the early 1990s Norwegian scene, but with a twist. The guitars are aggressive yet open, a dead‑pan slide of distortion paired with thin, mid‑cut stretches that let the melodies breathe. Roland, the drummer, is a tornado of “Khz” crashes—tight, simple, replacing the polisymphonic double bass of the past with a parodic, repetitive clang that’s almost hypnotic. The bass, previously almost invisible, takes a step forward; it’s punchy, following the guitars without cutting a track for itself, yet it drives the assault rather than shying away.
Vocally, Nocturno Culto’s growls have grown lower and more percussive, a bellow that often lands as a dead‑beat growl or a razor‑sharp squeal. In the moments where he leans into that *Amen! – 3* style of the early Dada, the visceral impression is palpable.
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### Atmosphere
The album’s atmosphere is a paradoxical blend of oppressive gloom and oddly upbeat pulse. The opening track, “Sobyr,” is a jaunty rhythmic anomaly that masks a sharp, sinister vibe: bright synth line lacing the drums, while harshly kicked vocals keep the sound grounded. *Ravishing Grimness* feels like a ritual, a nocturnal ritual that stirs old memories of candles and cold air, yet constantly pushes beyond the darkness, testing the faith of listeners.
The track “Salter” is a perfect example of that dual nature. A timeless legend about a cursed patron, it evokes haunting stories of cursed windmills while simultaneously creating an euphoria. During “Hideous My Sinking Brain” might be the album’s apex of contrast, where contradictory melodic elements accentuate a blur that seems too complex to hold.
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### Riffs
Riffs on *Ravishing Grimness* are a mixed bag—attic‑blowing or claustrophobically grinding. “Nice Chef” begins with a bass line that jumps across intervals but then switches into a cold, place‑based riffing that settles into a melodic shape akin to a violin. The guitar riff keeps the overall structure sane and progressive—then turns anything screaming and there is a swapping…
The album favors simple, repetitive riffing over thunderous doom‑style riffs. Toward the end, “Under the Daily Curve” showcases a slow, deep riff that turns it into an explosion. Marrying such strummed riffs with trancey, dream‑like choruses is the central idea—most of the time, the best sounding tracks will remain in the listener’s memory. The last track, “Greetings,” uses barely scratched strings and a brief note of softness as an ending that’s more emotional ― a slower version of “Old Nazgûl.”
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### Production Quality
Everything appears on a very solid record. The production is clean yet retains unmistakably **black‑metal** quirks, an eclectic mixture of funky and energetic. The instrumentation is layered, helping each instrument find its own space. In a single track, 14 grams of sound bring out the rugged tenor. The exact tone of each sound is a porcelain crafted bone—an illusion of a “raw” domestic studio over the soul of a live broadcast.
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### Overall Impression
Darkthrone’s “Ravishing Grimness” proves the group can still craft music that jabs the listener in dreams, revealing how well the band’s influence can be sustained while still showcasing some new visual movement.
Every track feels dignified yet simply a point of focusing. The writing shows that the band can remain modern while upholding the old atmosphere that resonates with the current dataset of listeners. Whether a listener is a longtime fan or a newcomer, the album impresses in a way that is both a throwback and a forward‑looking statement.
