Artist: DARKTHRONE
Title: Ravishing Grimness
Year of Release: 1999
Label: Moonfog
Format: LP
It would be reasonable to argue that the tone of ‘Ravishing Grimness’ was more in tune with a 90’s black metal style of release and though it has a number of punchy elements, and blackened Destruction-isms, I think the murky sound of this release sees it lacking somewhat. Oh and of course, the lack of classic Darkthrone riffs.
It is my contention that the best sounding Darktrone records are the last three, as well as ‘Transilvanian Hunger’ and ‘A Blaze…’ I think this band are on top of their mountain when they have that crunchy, raw but crisp aura. When I hear cuts like ‘The Claws Of Time’ I can’t help but feel that the edges are blurry, and the real spark and venom is somehow trapped under a membrane, unable to be liberated. I also fail to find much appeal in the slow to fast and back again arrangements. Knowing the caliber of drummer Fenriz actually is leaves me a little puzzled as to why on some of the bands more adventurous material, he doesn’t follow suit. Philosophies such as ‘simplistic’ or ‘orthodox’ drumming styles in black metal are fine, but how does that system operate when that reluctance to include influence beyond the most rigid of confines may be a contributing factor in the final results being a little below par?
Put simply, this record bores me. I have given more thought as to who the old geezer on the cover is.
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