Pioneering Norwegian black metallers, Darkthrone, have released the first track off their forthcoming album, Old Star.
The Hardship Of The Scots is a belting, classic heavy metal tune channeling the likes of Ozzy, Celtic Frost and Exodus. Drummer and songwriter, Fenriz, explains that the song came to him while sat on his front porch:
"There really isn’t just ONE song that can represent this album, The Hardship Of The Scots was my song and although we also wanted one of Ted's [Darkthone frontman and co-songwriter, Ted “Nocturno Culto” Skjellum] songs to preview the album Ted took one for the team and we chose my song! His songs are somewhat faster with more black metal in them but still has slow thrash and doom.
"My song here seems to start with an Invasion Of Your Privacy Ratt-era riff or perhaps one from The Ultimate Sin by Ozzy Osbourne but when I had bicycled my guitar from the Bombshelter and sat down on the porch to strum it, the fact is that (as far as I remember) this entire The Hardship Of The Scots track was done in an hour and I remember texting Ted about it."
He continues: "Ted had just been around to collect loads of vinyl I was giving to him. Anyway, so as usual I didn't have an elaborate scheme as to what the riffs where coming from, but like last album’s preview song I can tell you what it sounds like to me. This doesn't mean I was inspired by what it sounds like, ok?
"So riff number two has both normal doom and some evil death/black notes in the second part. Then there's the break to make the song more linear (old '80s underground trick I used on the last album and this album) and then a riff emerges which I guess I would like to sound like that awesome break riff in an Infernö track called thrash metal dogs of hell. 1:50 out in that track is one of my fave slow thrash metal riffs EVER and it kind of reminds me of first Exodus too.
"But my riff kinda went even slower and may remind more of a Celtic Frost tempo. I think it's a splendid break and riff anyway and suddenly while I was playing my guitar, I came up with this final riff part which is not as primitive as we are used to but rather sounds like some more epic 20-year-old Enslaved or something. Anyway, that's what it sounds like to me NOW but when I was making it, I was just jamming my guitar on the porch after having bicycled it home. SNAKES!!”
So, there you have it. You are desperate to listen now, aren't you? Check it out below!
If that's wet your appetite for the new album, you needn't wait too long. Old Star is due to drop on May 31 via Peaceville. And Fenriz is pretty pleased with the band's 17th studio album to date:
"A while after our previous Arctic Thunder album it became apparent that we would continue in that same style, BLACK OLD HEAVY METAL with slow thrash, classic doom and slow death metal."
He adds: "All in all it is our most '80s album so far and our most metal one to date with drum sound typical for the '80s USA/German market and damned lyrics, which are all written by me. We feel that Old Star is the big brother of Arctic Thunder. More solid and with even better riffs."
Old star is released on May 31 and available to pre-order now.
