Darkthrone — Transilvanian Hunger( 2025 reissue)
Transilvanian Hunger was the fourth album from Norway's Darkthrone; and it was also the third and final chapter in the band’s Unholy Trinity, which defined not just Norwegian black metal, but the whole second wave of BM. The eight-track/thirty-nine-minute 1994 album is the very definition of grim ‘n’ freezing BM, and has gone on to probably one of the mimicked/all-out copied albums in BM history- if you don’t know this album, you don’t know the genre!. Here from Peaceville Records, as part of their series of two-disc CD releases of classic BM albums from the band, is a reissue of the album. The first disc takes in the original album, and the second disc features a full-length commentary track from songwriter/multi-instrumentalist Feriz.
As with the other reissues in this series, the two CDs come presented in a slimline jewel case, with just a fold-out inlay. On the front cover, we have the necro/ high contrast/grimly ironic image of a corpse painted & screaming figure holding a flaming candelabra.
For this release, the band where the two picec of Fenriz – guitar, bass guitar, drums. And Nocturno Culto on vocals. The album's lyrics were jointly written by Fenriz and Count Grishnackh(Varg Vikernes) of Burzum. The album was recorded on a four-track in Fenriz's bedroom, and throughout it remains deeply grim, extremely lo-fi, and darkly freezing in its attack.
The album kicks off with the just over six-minute title track- here we find bleakly churning tremolo guitar work, baying cold vocal roars, and clamouring drum work. The track is mainly based around two main riffs, and both of these truly distil black metal spirit. As we move on, we have “Slottet I Det Fjerne” with its blend prime evil mid-paced riffing, battering ‘n’ crushing percussion, and barren wind chills set vocals.
In the album’s second half, we move from the gunning nihilistic black punk churn, rapid dark vocal bays, and manically galloping drums of “I En Hall Med Flesk Og Mjød”. Onto the fading-in churning riff-ness grimness, grimly spat vocals, and truly pummelling percussion of “En ås I Dype Skogen". The album is a true BM classic from beginning to end, with the focus largely on set/ cold BM.
Going onto the second disc, and we of course, have a commentary track from Feriz. He starts talking about how he wrote the title track’s lyrics and music in the aftermath of the fallout from all that occurred in the country's BM scene- taking in murder & church burnings. He can’t recall either the strings or pick-ups used for the track, though many of tried to emulate it, and have failed.
On ‘Skald Av Satans Sol" he discusses the black Thrash sound of the track's main riff. He talks about how Nocturno Culto added the vocals after everything else was recorded- these were recorded in a 'proper' studio, so some knob twiddling was done to get the necro/ lo-fi feel to the vocals.
On “I En Hall Med Flesk Og mjød” he talks about the churning one-note opening riff. He comments on the rare drum tempo change, and the riff it leads onto that would become known as blacked roll. He then talks about how he gives a lot of thought to the running sequence of each album, for maximum impact. Once again, another most interesting/ informative commentary track from the very grounded/non-rock star Feriz.
It's great to see this true BM classic getting the double CD treatment. Once again, even if you already own this, it’s a must pick-up, as the Feriz commentary is once again excellent/ most worthy.