Along with their notorious fellow Black Metal countrymen, Darkthrone helped create a new kind of cold, harsh sound of extreme music that made Norway synonymous with this kind of Black Metal. Yet they not only helped Black Metal become more extreme and unfriendly - there is also a long, prolific career behind the band with various shifts in styles.

The first shift would be premediated by the style that preceeded Darkthrone as we know them. The band began in 1986 as Black Death, comprised of Anders Risberget on guitar and Gylve 'Death' Nagell (more familiarly known as Fenriz) on drums and vocals. Black Death played traditional Death Metal, with what appears to be the inclusion of food amongst the traditional lyrical themes - early songs include Another Lousy Meal, Pizzabreath and Nasty Sausage. The band released two demos in 1987, Trash Core and Black Is Beautiful, the latter marking the inclusion of Ivar Enger on bass and the first Darkthrone lineup.

The band changed their name to Darkthrone in 1987 and continued playing Death Metal for another four demos and their first full-length album, Soulside Journey. The band were joined by Dag Nilsen on bass for the first Darkthrone demo, Land Of Frost, and Ivar switched to guitar. The second demo, the 1988 promo A New Dimension, saw Anders replaced with Ted Skjellum, better known as Nocturno Culto. This marked the Death Metal-era Darkthrone lineup and presented the core of the upcoming Black Metal era.

The fourth demo, Cromlech, saw Darkthrone finally get signed to Peaceville Records, with who they stayed for about four years and as many albums. After Soulside Journey was released, the first and most important change in Darkthrone's sound became apparent. Whilst rehearsing new material, Gylve, Ted and Ivar began getting into the Black Metal scene that was becoming prevalent in Norway. Undoubtably influenced by Euronymous of Mayhem and the rest of the Black Metal circle, the material they were rehearsing no longer reflected the music they wanted to play. The material was ditched, and the songs that became A Blaze In The Northern Sky were written. Dag, the only member who wanted to continue playing Death Metal, recorded his basslines and then quit. The aforementioned stage names were adopted, with Ivar becoming known as Zephyrous. Darkthrone as we now know them had begun.

The fourth album, Transylvanian Hunger, is interesting to note as the lyrics on the second half of the album were written by Varg Vikernes of Burzum, a friend of the band. It is interesting to note that Darkthrone somehow managed not to get caught up in the church-burning that occured during this period, and consistently stood by their prison-bound friend. Varg himself recently noted this in an article on the history of Burzum - "they [Black Metal scenesters] eventually began to believe in the newspaper-theory about a power-struggle, so they too - with a few exceptions (like Fenris and the guys in Mayhem) - did everything to nail me". Recently, Fenriz included the Burzum song Ea, Lord Of The Depths on his Best Of Old School Black Metal compilation CD, refreshingly preferring to comment on Varg's drumming instead of the controversy.

The following album, Panzerfaust, marked the departure of Zephyrous and was the beginning of the current lineup of just Fenriz and Nocturno Culto. It was also the first album to be released on the band's current label Moonfog Records, owned by Satyr of Satyricon. By now the band were expanding upon their existing sound, with Panzerfaust making a little nod to a Celtic Frost-influenced sound. Interestingly, Nocturno Culto would soon temporarily join Satyricon for their Nemesis Divina album around this time, under the moniker Kveldulv. It's followup, Total Death, contained lyrics mostly written by vocalists from other bands such as Emperor and Satyricon.

An abrupt, incidental change in style occured again with 1997's Goatlord. This album was actually the eventual release of the material recorded but scrapped back in 1991, when the band stopped playing Death Metal. The music, with new vocals recorded for it, appeared to represent a sudden backpedal for the band. They of course returned to their brand of cold, harsh Black Metal, improving their sound quality for Ravishing Grimness and continuing up to the present day.

It is almost certainly something of an irony that a band born out of a time when Black Metal was a reaction against the trends of the era - and changed it's sound to disassociate itself from those trends - should end up becoming part of the Black Metal establishment. Maybe, though, it is only right that originality and creativity should be recognised and rewarded. Though they have inspired countless clones, Darkthrone are still one of the only cold, harsh bands you will need to check out.