DARKTHRONE

Biography
Darkthrone is an influential Norwegian black metal band. They formed in 1988 as a death metal group, but after embracing the black metal style in 1991, they became a driving force in the Norwegian black metal scene. For most of this period Darkthrone has consisted of just two musicians, Nocturno Culto and Fenriz. They claim to be influenced by punk and have sought to remain outside the music mainstream.[1] Their recent work has incorporated more crust punk traits.

Death metal years
The band that would become Darkthrone formed during 1986 in Kolbotn, a small suburb of Oslo. They were a death metal group by the name of Black Death, and its members were Gylve Nagell, Ivar Enger and Anders Risberget. In 1988 the band changed their name to Darkthrone and were joined by Ted Skjellum and Dag Nilsen. During 1988 and 1989 the band independently released four demo tapes: Land of Frost, A New Dimension, Thulcandra, and Cromlech.

They were subsequently signed to the independent record label Peaceville Records with a four album contract. In 1990 they recorded their first studio album, Soulside Journey. The album was cleanly-produced in a technical death metal style, although there were some elements of black metal present, in terms of the album's music and imagery.

Immediately following the release of this album, the band continued writing and recording new material. These demos were entirely instrumental but they demonstrated the band's gradual shift towards black metal. In 1997 they would be released on the compilation album Goatlord.

Early black metal years
The Darkthrone logo, as it has appeared on the band's releases since its first album, Soulside Journey.

During 1991, Darkthrone adopted the aesthetic style that would come to represent the black metal scene, wearing corpsepaint and working under pseudonyms. Gylve Nagell became "Fenriz", Ted Skjellum became "Nocturno Culto" and Ivar Enger became "Zephyrous". They began recording their second album, which was released at the beginning of 1992 and entitled A Blaze in the Northern Sky. The album contained Darkthrone's first black metal recordings, and Peaceville Records was originally skeptical about releasing it due to Darkthrone's extreme diversion from their original death metal style.[2]After the album was recorded, bassist Dag Nilsen left the band, and is not credited anywhere on the album.

The band's third album, Under a Funeral Moon, was released in 1993. It marked Darkthrone's total conversion to the black metal style, and is considered a landmark for the development of the genre as a whole. This album also marked the last album on which guitarist Zephyrous would perform.

It was followed by their fourth album, Transilvanian Hunger, which was released in 1994. This was Darkthrone's first album to be recorded with just two members, Nocturno Culto and Fenriz. The band would remain a duo from this point onwards. Transilvanian Hunger was characterised by a very "raw" or "low fidelity" recording style and musical simplicity. The album's release caused some controversy: some of its lyrics were written by the infamous Norwegian black metal musician Varg Vikernes, and its booklet contained anti-Jewish phrases.

Band members
Current members
* Nocturno Culto (Ted Skjellum) – lead guitar, bass guitar, vocals, lyrics (since 1988)
* Fenriz (Gylve Nagell) – drums, rhythm guitar, bass, vocals, lyrics (since 1988)

Former members
* Ivar Enger (Zephyrous) – guitar (1988–1993)
* Dag Nilsen – bass guitar (1988–1991)
* Anders Risberget – guitar (1988)

Discography
1990 Soulside Journey The band's only death metal album.
1992 A Blaze in the Northern Sky Final release with bassist Dag Nilsen.
1993 Under a Funeral Moon Final release with guitarist Ivar Enger.
1994 Transilvanian Hunger Some lyrics by Varg Vikernes.
1995 Panzerfaust Some lyrics by Varg Vikernes.
1996 Total Death Features lyrics written by four guests.
1999 Ravishing Grimness
2001 Plaguewielder
2003 Hate Them
2004 Sardonic Wrath
2006 The Cult Is Alive Marked a major change in musical style.
2007 F.O.A.D.
2008 Dark Thrones and Black Flags