Under a Funeral Moon
Under a Funeral Moon makes its intention clear immediately: this music is meant to scrape. Darkthrone chooses thin guitars, dry drums and an extremely harsh voice. Yet the record's most interesting quality is not how unpleasant its sound can become. Beneath that rough surface sits more variety than the opening minutes might suggest.
Natassja in Eternal Sleep starts briefly and fiercely. The drums give the music considerable drive, while the guitar work keeps melodic details deep within the sound. Summer of the Diabolical Holocaust then moves through several sections. Their succession prevents the record from simply repeating one fixed pattern. The bare recording makes those differences smaller, but does not remove them.
To Walk the Infernal Fields chooses greater weight and a slower movement. Its recurring riffs become threatening through their persistence. That provides a counterweight to the faster material. Darkthrone creates tension through repetition without giving every song the same pace.
The title track also has more sides than the simple presentation suggests. Crossing the Triangle of Flames helps distinguish the ending further. The guitars remain restrained, but the interplay means that a small change in rhythm or melody can shift the atmosphere.
The production is also the greatest limitation. It makes the record harsh and bare, but sometimes less heavy and clear than the material deserves. That sound requires adjustment and will not improve the experience for everyone. Strong, focused compositions sit beneath the roughness, however. Under a Funeral Moon restricts its means and finds enough individual movement within them. It is a convincing record for listeners seeking tension, atmosphere and forceful riffs in black metal.
