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taken from Eternal Frost webzine (issue #11)
The biggest dichotomy with most tributes is that, by design, they are supposed to be tailor-made for the fans, but most often they piss off those same fans by not being what the fans really want. Why? Who the fuck knows for sure, but I suspect that, since they're primarily made to make money, they try to broaden the appeal but in doing so they ironically limit the appeal (basically the "Least Common Denominator" principle at work). If the corporate cocksuckers would just turn tribute organization duties over directly to the fans, they would get something really fucking worthwhile - and that's basically exactly what you have here with Destr0y Records' flagship release, an ambitious and awesome two-disc tribute to the kings of Unholy Black Metal, DARKTHRONE.
The main reason this disc kicks so much ass is because it's a purely "by fans for fans" project. Destr0y Records prez. Brett Benzie is a total Darkthrone nut who just wanted to honor the band (which he did already with his fantastic website), so he asked for other fans to help. Those fans came in to help, someone got the idea of recording covers (in reaction to the shitty 'tribute' to Darkthrone already put out by some Norwegian label or something), fans told fans, more fans joined, contributed ideas, pictures, material and eventually it ballooned into what you get with this two-CDR set: one disc with 14 (!) covers of Darkthrone songs by the most underground of underground bands (Demon Realm, Mutorkseht, Megiddo, Ibex Throne, Rampage, just to name a few) covering the prime era from A Blaze. . . through Total Death; and the other disc, a multimedia CD-ROM for your computer that contains an expanded version of Brett's Darkthrone website, reviews, tons of interviews, essays, pictures, original artwork submitted for the tribute, and MP3s of Darkthrone's original demos, live bootlegs, rehearsals, all of the covers from the other disc. . .A Darkthrone fan's dream come true. The packaging is also top-notch quality - all black and white with original artwork created by fans, excellent-looking disc labels, and those nifty single-size two-disc cases. At only $10 (American funds) worldwide, it's a steal for something of this caliber of quality and dedication to the band. By fans, for fans, if you like Darkthrone in the least you'll love this release, a TRUE tribute to the band.
(And yes, I realize that this might seem a bit biased because I was one of the contributors, but keep in mind that 1) I was only one of about twenty contributors and 2) If I didn't feel like this was a worthwhile project I wouldn't have gotten involved in the first place. Even if you discount everything that I contributed to the disc it's a kick-ass tribute and I think that just about says it all.) --Lord Vic
Review by Samuel Langer
This entirely unofficial tribute, which has been about one-and-a-half years in the making, consists of two brilliant CDs, beautifully packaged and presented, hand-numbered CD number one, entitled The Torments Relived, features fourteen 'underground' acts covering various Darkthrone tunes. All albums are represented, excepting Soulside Journey, Goatlord and Ravishing Grimness. A bit of a shame, in my opinion, as the CD tends to go over the same sort of material in similar ways. This fact aside, pretty much all of the tracks have something intriguing about them, and are worthy of the listener's attention. Lycanthropy begin proceedings with a rather evil sample from Transilvanian Hunger (remember that backwards-vocal at the end of "Flittermice"? This time it's played the right way around...) before launching into a fairly bog-standard version of "Kathaarian Life Code". A track later, Dark Dominion give us "Under A Funeral Moon" on mogadon-it's played with sinister glee at about half the original tempo. Megiddo play a pissed-off version of "Earth's Last Picture". As sick as ChorazaiM's vocals may seem to be, they are no match for the gruesome screeches during Thor's "Triumphant Gleam". This bizarre Norwegian duo, consisting of Thor S. Grimness ("slag, strenger") and Svein ("skrik") perform an utterly psychopathic version of the Panzerfaust classic, tearing through standards and expectations alike. Other highlights of The Torments Relived include The Syre's slightly disturbing, industrialized cover of "The Hordes of Nebulah", the totally perverse Demon Realm version of "Skald Av Satans Sol" (think of a brutally lo-fi Damaged with Varg Vikernes doing vocals), and Narog's aggressively enunciated version of "Where Cold Winds Blow".
The CD-2 (A Multimedia Tribute) consists of an extensive html-archive, with interviews, reviews, graphics, lyrics and even essays dedicated to Darkthrone. And thrown in at no extra charge are a swag of mp3-files covering the Thulcandra and Cromlech demo-tapes, the A Night of Unholy Black Metal bootleg (which features live material from 1996, 1991, and a 1992 rehearsal), and the Roots of Evilness bootleg (a 1991 live show featuring most of the Soulside Journey stuff.)
Basically, this is a totally cult item. Get it while you still can, from DestrOy Productions directly: P.O. Box 5113, Gladstone, Queensland 4680, AUSTRALIA. e-mail:hatred@fuck-the-skull-of-jesus.mit.edu
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