It’s always difficult to add something new, different, and worthwhile to classic/genre-defining albums when reissuing them, but this two-CD reissue of Darkthrone’s genre-defining black metal masterpiece does just that. On the first disc is the original album, and on the second disc, we get a full album commentary from drummer/songwriter Feriz- with some wonderful, honest, at times amusing insights.  Here from Peaceville Records is the first in a series of four two-disc CD reissues of classic BM albums from the band. 

The two discs come presented in a slimline jewel case, with the four-page inlay featuring the ironic cover art of a corpse painted figure seemingly floating in the pitch black sky, and inside lyrics and another monochrome picture.

I bought  A Blaze In The  Northern Sky just after it was originally released, after reading a review which compared it to Bathory. And yes, that comparison is relevant, as is Celtic Frost- but the then three-piece band were doing something of their own with the BM form, which helped give birth to True Norwegian Black metal sound, and the second wave of BM.

The six-track album began with “Karthaarian Life Code” it opened with the (still) chilling slow bounding percussion, layered chants, and guttural spoken word intro. Before dropping into the manically crashing percussion, barked vocals, and searing guitar tones, which soon slip into wonderful ghoulish mid-paced slugging BM riff and crudely bayed vocals. I can still recall my first impression of the track, and I was truly blown away by the necro spirit and keen blackened metal tone, which I’d never experienced before.

Following this, we have “In The Shadow Of The Horns”- this mid-paced/ bounding track seemed to tie together elements of Bathory, Celtic Frost, and Venom- but sprinkled in elements of black punk, and prime evil clamouring moodiness.

Later on, we had raggedly galloping drums, cold churning/ lo-fi guitar riffing, and constantly rolling necro croaked barrage of vocals that is “Where Cold Winds Blow”. With the album playing out “The Pagan Winter” which is all clamouring discordant blacked guitar tone, buzzing ‘n’ bounding bass, bushing ‘n’ crashing, with vocals that shift from bayed barks, grimly gargling spoken word, and necro yells.

The album has a perfect flow to its track listing, and it retains both its keen blacked spirit, bound crudity, and lo-fi churm. And it remains an important/ true Black metal record, which has seemingly lost none of its danger & mood.

Moving onto the second disc, and we have, of course, the commentary on the second disc, which will be the main pull for those who already have the original album, and I must say I found it very fascinating/ rewarding- if you’ve ever heard Feriz talk/ be interview, you know he is always down to earth, honest, and full of great memories. On “Karthaarian Life Code”, he goes from talking about how he can’t believe he created the introduction, and how it’s built around elements of ancient Hellenic language. Onto talking about how the open riff sounds like a Vader track, but with his distinctive bass drum elements. We find out that he didn’t quite know what to do with the vocals,  and he points out the Celtic Frost-like riffs.  Moving onto “Paragon Belial” he talks about how the track is very death metal in much of its riffing, though with them trying to give it BM sensibility, though he feels many of these don’t work. On the title track, he moves from talking about how he feels some of the extra elements he added didn’t work. To point out the Bathory-like riffs, moments of cowbell, and discuss the different vocal elements. All in all, an excellent commentary track, which I can see myself playing down the line again, as he’s so down to earth, and we get some great insights into their influences, how things were created, and much more.

So, in conclusion, whether or not you already own this album, I’d say this version is certainly worth picking up, as you get an in-depth and honest overview of its creation, from one of the minds that birthed this true & dark Norwegian classic.