Review Summary: Astral Fortress may not bring much new to Darkthrone’s larger trajectory but it’s nice to see it present some of their recent ideas with some extra development
Darkthrone’s twentieth album pretty much sounds like you expect it to, continuing to carve out the doomed out black metal phase that kicked off on 2017’s Arctic Thunder with tremolo guitars and raw rasps aplenty. However, Astral Fortress seems to have slightly more focus behind it than their last couple efforts. In contrast to the doom elements on Old Star and Eternal Hails… often seeming more implied than outright present, they are decidedly more pronounced here with the tempos generally being slower and more riff-oriented without as many faster extreme metal breaks.
The opening “Caravan of Broken Ghosts” suggests more of the usual slapdash structuring, but the subsequent songwriting feels more cohesive with the transitions occurring more naturally. “Impeccable Caverns of Satan” and “Stalagmite Necklace” are straightforward riff exercises with some lighter keyboard flourishes on the latter. It’s also nice to see the atmospheric hints from Eternal Hails… get some solid expansion on the ten-minute “The Sea Beneath the Seas of the Sea” (yo dawg, I heard you like seas). The spacey ambiance of “Kolbotn, West of the Vast Forests” also briefly gives one Neptune Towers flashbacks that flow nicely into the closing triumph of “Eon 2.”
Astral Fortress may not bring much new to Darkthrone’s larger trajectory but it’s nice to see it present some of their recent ideas with some extra development. As much as I still find myself wishing the performances had a little more oomph to them, this is the most memorable batch of songs they’ve put forward since Arctic Thunder. The nod to Panzerfaust on the album cover feels poignant with this era essentially serving an extension of that album’s distinct vibe. Whether this effort ends up being the culmination of Darkthrone’s doom phase or just another step on the ladder, it’s another pleasant glimpse into the duo’s undying vision.
