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 Sardonic Wrath (2004) Moonfog Productions HMM Rank: 
It has been very difficult for me to give this album a negative review, especially considering that many would consider disliking Darkthrone an official act of blasphemy in the metal community. However, the "raw" and "grim" side of black metal has never really caught my attention. Although, I will say that if that's the kind of thing you are into, then you will probably really enjoy this album. I've noticed that Darkthrone and other bands like them have a differnt goal when creating music than more melodic black metal bands like Dissection or Throes of Dawn do, and that's creating atmosphere. This usually acts as justification for the bad production and guitars that sound like the most satanic circular saw you've ever heard. To me, the band intended to create an aura of pure evil with this CD, and make you feel as if you are lost in a thick forest in the middle of winter with no one except demons and evil spirits to accompany you. With that said, I must admit that they accomplished their goal. The atmosphere of this album is truely grim, and is the perfect thing to listen to when in that dark, anti-christian sort of mood. Personally, though, this style is just not for me, which is the reason for the low rating (even though I can see why others enjoy bands like this). I will give them credit for one thing though: whether I like it or not, they're good at what they do. Now, I don't want to give off the impression that I completely hate this album. On the contrary, I like it much more than A Blaze in the Northern Sky, and think that it does have its moments. For one thing, the production is slightly better (but still very raw), and some of the songs feature some slower, doom metal-ish breakdowns that add a little memorability to them. Two notable mentions are "Mann Tanker Sitt" and "Sacrificing to the God of Doubt". These songs actually have some half decent riffs, while still retaining that dark and satanic edge that is present throughout the entire album. I guess you could call them guilty pleasures (kind of like Carpathian Forest, whom I have a soft spot for). Another thing I find more appealing about this album is that there are some moments that have earlier 90's death metal feel to them, which sometimes causes me to feel like I'm listening to a raw black metal version of Obituary. I'd like to end this review by saying that hopefully I was able to give you a good idea of what this CD sounds likeso that you can compare it to your own tastes and make your own decisions. When giving a negative review, I try very hard to present more facts about the album than opinions in order to compensate for differing musical tastes (and to prove that I'm not trying to intentionally piss anyone off). If you are already a Darkthrone fan (or are just looking for some raw, heavy black metal) and you don't have this album, you'll probably love it. I highly recommend it to those of you who are into that kind of thing. However, in the words of Austin Powers, "It's just not my bag, baby".
Reviewed 01/16/2005
Official Darkthrone Website
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