As godfathers of the Norwegian Black Metal scene, DARKTHRONE need no introduction. Having always been a prolific band, especially by Black Metal standards, this year sees them back with their seventeenth full-length album, "Arctic Thunder". And you might think that, after so many releases spanning almost three decades, DARKTHRONE might be scraping the bottom of their barrel of energy and inspiration. Yet once again these two masters show their mettle, and have unleashed a vicious beast of an album into the unsuspecting world. And no, what we have here is not the long anticipated return of the prodigal son to the lands of 90s Black Metal. That time has long since come and gone. Rather, DARKTHRONE have stayed true to their current musical path, with Speed and Heavy Metal influences being apparent throughout. Having said that though, there are more Black Metal influences to be found in "Arctic Thunder", which will likely be much to the liking of many fans.

"Tundra Leech" starts off the album with a frostbitten, slow, and dark composition that oozes evilness out of every note. This is complemented Black 'n Roll rhythm, giving the song a ferocious aggression, whilst Nocturno Culto's gravely rasp top off the song perfectly. If frigid wolves were to have a soundtrack as they go hunting through barren, frozen landscapes, this song would be it. In contrast to this, captivating guitar riffs in "Burial Bliss" give an up-beat feel to a song that can't really be describe as anything other than groovy. This fades out into the trippy opening of "Boreal Feinds", where hypnotic passages are skilfully interwoven with more menacing tremolo picked parts. Towards the end of the song, we have an interesting twist, leading us back to the Black 'n Roll feel found in "Tundra Leech". Fenriz, already a master on the throne, really shows off on this album, with outstanding drumming on songs such as "Inbred Vermin", which positively drips 80s Speed Metal influences, and "Throw Me Through the Marshes" a doomy affair that pulls you through a morass-like soundscape. At the pinnacle of the album is the title song, "Arctic Thunder", a catchy number that has an irresistible drive. The penultimate spot on the album is taken by "Deep Lake Trespass", which has more of the old, frozen DARKTHRONE sound to it, complete with hair-pin tempo changes that make the song one of my favourites stylistically speaking. And finally, we have "The Wyoming Distance", a somewhat lacklustre song that doesn't end "Arctic Thunder" with quite the bang it deserves. Nevertheless, this is an album you'll want to listen to again and again, finding new nuances with each spin.

With songwriting and lyrics being shared pretty equally between both members, you can pick up on the individual flavours from song to song. This helps to add variation to the album, but still has a fluid continuity, delivering a seamless finished album. However, my one gripe with "Arctic Thunder" is that it delivers eight strong songs, without a single one being particularly outstanding, which is a pity. The production is on par with that of predecessor "The Underground Resistance", toeing the line between compelling clarity and atmospheric rawness. Perhaps not quite as fast as could be expected, "Arctic Thunder" delivers relentless power rather than velocity, allowing the evil streak to truly shine through. But then again, not giving a fuck about anyone's opinions or expectations is one of the main reasons that DARKTHRONE are so bad-ass and awesome.