Darkthrone - Under A Funeral Moon

It is here where DarkThrone master their craft and fully seize and present the fundamental elements of "True Norwegian Black Metal", a music genre which they assisted in pioneering. Having rerouted their approach on the previous effort, initiating the beginning steps to achieving ultimate representation of the core of this art, DarkThrone now embody the total, complete essence of the intentional vision of definition of the ideology behind black metal music.

Structural variation operates within a minimalist aesthetic now razor-sharpened in execution and extremism of violence. Guitars form riffs frozen in ice, a chilling buzz of distorted streams anchored by Fenriz’s slaughterous pummeling, a rhythmic simplification intensified through diversification of compositional enhancement. Culto’s infernal shrieks, here slightly more faithful to sonic construction and flow, bleed with an intoxication of venomous furor, the voice of demonic murderer of hallowed virtue, a contradiction in hateful affliction and indifference, a torn-apart soul struggling with life’s, perceived or otherwise, unendurable circumstances.

"You must know that I can no longer see the difference of dream and reality"

These songs are not the epics of A Blaze In The Northern Sky. They were not written to achieve such. Rather, these are works in simplicity flowing in a frozen stream towards cold and unforgiving forests. The music is cutthroat, frigid and grim in a manner simply unheard or felt in any form of metal music before it, and despite countless imitators, extremely few have matched it since. Instead of choosing the stone over the sun and considering the grip on the stone as a destination in itself, DarkThrone exist through the stone in violent defiance of the sun.

Under A Funeral Moon is my second favourite album from my favourite Black Metal band: Darkthrone. My favourite being A Blaze In The Northern Sky.

This is Darkthrone's third album, produced in 1993, consisting of 8 songs, lasting 41 minutes.

The production quality, when compared to other Darkthrone albums, is fine, (i.e garage quality), similiar to A Blaze In The Northern Sky, and therefore the atmophere in this CD is great: cold harsh necro music, that at many occasions can be fast and brutal. Under A Funeral Moon was recorded in 'Creative Studios.'

The lineup consits of 3 members, no sessionists:
Fenriz = Percussionist & Satan's Poet
Zepyrous = Electric Lead Guitar
Nocturno Culto = Bass & Summoning (vocals)

The lyrics are done by Fenriz, and are fantastic, cold, mysterious and often related to Satan.
The Cd Cover is amazing, one of the best I have seen, showing us Fenriz, dressed in black, with corspe paint, in a graveyard at night, rumours are that the skull he is 'holding' is the skull of Dead, ex Vocalist of Mayhem.

As for the music itself, its stunning. Very solid, not as solid as A Blaze in The Northern Sky, but in my opinion, as strong as a brick. There is no chanting in this album, but a loud iron bell can be heard on the last track: "Crossing The Triangle Of Flames." It is this album that Darkthrone first used the infamous slogan "True Norwegian Black Metal," and caused many debates what is true or not. Well I feel this is true, and if you want to know what I think is not true, then listen to Cradle Of Filth and Dimmu Borgir.

Guitar Riffs are amazing, and in 3 songs in particular: "Summer Of The Diabolical Holocaust," "Unholy Black Metal" and "Under A Funeral Moon" show us ultra fast riffing, that we do not really see in A Blaze In The Northern Sky. As usual, there is 1 main guitar, and 1 lead guitar that plays occassionly. The guitar riffs will remind you more of Transilvanian Hunger and Paznerfaust as they are more repetitive, and tend not to change so randomly.

The bass is better on this album, it is more fast and fits in well between the guitar riffs.

Fenriz's drumming is excellent, and in some songs are very catchy, such as "The Dance of Eternal Shadwos" which in many parts sounds like a war beat. The Same goes for the last track, track 8: "Crossing The Triangle Of Flames."

Vocals by Nocturno Culto are stunning too, you will not be disappionted with this aspect of this unholy music. The difference you can see here is that more echos (reverb) are added.

The gap between the songs are long(er), 8 seconds to be precise. The slowest track is track 3: "The Dance of Eternal Shadows." My favourite 2 songs on this album are "to Walk The Infernal Fields" and "Under A Funeral Moon." 1 track in particular, "Inn I de Dype Skogers Favn" sounds quite similair to Transilvanian Hunger album.

It can be concluded that Under A Funeral Moon is an amazing album, my adivse is to go buy it if you don't already have it, you can't be disappionted, as many of the songs here are very addictive to listen to.

Disintegrating sound expressed in alternate heartbeat pounding of eternal cycles descending into chaos, this album expands like an vital thought in an unexpected moment. Gently sweeping cold nihilistic rhythm riffing reflects against inspired abstractions of wandering melody. Texture expands core ideas through narrative detours which establish atmosphere and charge surrounding space with the potential of free motion. Rough vocals over blasting fuzzy guitar and hypnotically resensual ambient drumming surge forward with strength. Often the music wanders spiritedly through resonant moods, changing seasons for life and existence. Understood later this music reflects through ambiguity a conflict between rationality and a compassion for the infinite.