Darkthrone - It Beckons Us All [Indie Exclusive, Purple]

With their 20th studio album, It Beckons Us All, the legendary duo of Fenriz and Nocturno Culto continue their fearless journey through the heart of heavy metal. Following the atmospheric depths of Astral Fortress, this 2024 masterpiece finds Darkthrone at their most expansive and refined, blending classic riffs, vintage-sounding speed metal, and blackened doom into a seamless, "timeless" whole. Recorded at Chaka Khan Studios in Norway and mastered by Jack Control at Enormous Door, the album boasts an organic, spacious production that lets the band’s iconic "crusty" guitar tones breathe with a cold, Nordic grimness.

The seven-track odyssey is a masterclass in dynamic songwriting. From the infectious, galloping riffs of the opener "Howling Primitive Colonies" to the haunting, melodic hooks of "Black Dawn Affiliation," the duo proves that their creative fountain is still flowing after more than 35 years. A major highlight is the ten-minute closer, "The Lone Pines of the Lost Planet," a sprawling epic that grinds from a massive doom chug into a progressive, psychedelic finale. With Fenriz contributing stellar clean vocals alongside Nocturno's unmistakable demonic barks, It Beckons Us All is a defiant statement of intent from two visionaries who have long since stopped caring about trends, focusing instead on the "aural ideal" of pure, unadulterated metal.

The album features striking cover art by renowned Polish artist Zbigniew Bielak, perfectly capturing the record's esoteric and adventurous spirit. This 2025/2026 vinyl restock ensures that this modern classic remains available to the "lifelong disciples of suspense and mystery."