Darkthrone - Transilvanian Hunger (Black Metal)

Transilvanian Hunger is Darkthrone's fourth album, and magnum opus. Everything Darkthrone released before this, included the primitive and influential Under a Funeral Moon, pales in comparison to this masterpiece of black metal. And anything Darkthrone released after this can be briefly summarised as "lol".

Building upon the "fast Burzum" styled riffing Zephyrous nailed on the "Inn i de dype skogers favn" track from their previous release, Transilvanian Hunger is an album of pure melody born from a continuous cycle of aggression and ambiguity, where contrasting phrasal riffs serve to expand the all-encompassing, raw and chaotic atmosphere of the music.

Leaning much more on the minimalist side of black metal, as opposed to the more technically awe-inspiring songcraft and complex riff labyrinthes of a band like Phantom or Neraines, Transilvanian Hunger nevertheless imposes its style of black metal as a pillar of the genre. And, indeed, along with Burzum's debut, Transilvanian Hunger has become one of the most frequently copied black metal albums. And is there a more iconic phrase in the genre than "Norsk Arisk Black Metal"? Recommend for fans of black metal and extreme atmospheric music.