Darkthrone - Preparing for War (Compilation) [2000]

 

Darkthrone started as a death metal band, but by the end of 1990 and the beginning of 1991, when they were rehearsing the material that would eventually become Goatlord, Nocturno Culto, Zephyrous and Fenriz developed interest to black metal. Soon they decided to abort the Goatlord sessions because the material didn't reflect what they felt, and started to compose the songs that were to be found on A Blaze in the Northern Sky. Dag Nilsen was the only member who still wanted to play technical death metal, so he recorded the bass lines for A Blaze in the Northern Sky and then left the band.

Darkthrone's name was inspired by a Danish zine from around 1985/86 called Blackthorn, written by the guys from the Danish band DesExult, as well as by the lyrics of the Celtic Frost song "Jewel Throne" (I'm the king, sitting in the dark hiding from the shadows of the wind/.../ As I gaze from the Jewel Throne to the portal of infinity).

 2000 CD Digipak, UK. Limited version come as a four-way fold out digipak.

 -Tracklist:

 1. Transilvanian Hunger  5:59
2. Snowfall  9:04
3. Archipelago     4:52
4. I En Hall Med Flesk Og Mjod     5:04
5. The Pagan Winter  6:34
6. Grave With A View  3:27
7. Eon/Thulcandra  4:51
8. Soria Moria     3:42
9. Natassja In Eternal Sleep  3:26
10. Cromlech  4:08
11. In The Shadow Of The Horns     6:57
12. Neptune Towers  3:27
13.Under A Funeral Moon  4:57
14. Skald Av Satans Sol  4:18
15. Iconoclasm Sweeps Cappadocia  3:59

 Tracks 1, 4 & 14 from "Transilvanian Hunger" LP (1994).
Tracks 5 & 11 from "A Blaze In The Northern Sky" LP (1992).
Tracks 6, 10 & 15 from "Soulside Journey" LP (1991).
Tracks 9 & 13 from "Under A Funeral Moon" LP (1993).
Track 2 from "A New Dimension" demo, 1988.
Track 3 from "Thulcandra" demo, 1989.
Tracks 7 & 8 recorded live in Oslo, 1989.
Track 12 recorded live in Esbjerg, 1990

 -Line up:

• Fenriz: drums, vocals (additional), bass, guitars (additional)
• Nocturno Culto: vocals, guitars, bass.

 

This album was released to commemorate the 10 year existence of the band. Containing their 'greatest hits' and some previously unreleased demo tracks.
The cover art is from the Cromlech demo.

 

Label: Peaceville Records.