Darkthrone Debut New Song, "Tundra Leech;" Come for the Riffs, Stay for Fenriz's Commentary

Darkthrone recently announced the upcoming release of a brand-new album, Arctic Thunder, and promised a departure from the meandering heavy metal punk that's characterized their past few albums. Fans' ears pricked, especially when drummer, occasional vocalist, and overall heavy metal maniac Fenriz elaborated via Facebook that "I can say that it is more serious and primitive than usual. Vocals are only done by Ted as I thought this would create a more solemn/introvert atmosphere."

Now, the band have posted the first taste of Artic Thunder, accompanied by characteristically charismatic (and obsessively detailed) commentary from Fenriz himself. He describes various sections of new song "Tundra Leech" as sounding like a "typical Dream Death's Journey into Mystery, Necrophagia's Season of the Dead, old Sadistic Intent. He breaks it down into individual riffs, too, noting a certain midtempo riff that "sounds like a marriage between Hellhammer and Poison Idea (Feel the Darkness era)," and another one that sounds like something Tony Iommi would've written during the Mob Rules era. Fenriz says he was ultimately hoping to make "slow heavy metal," and as we hear on the stomping, swaggering "Tundra Leech," job's a good 'un.

If, for some godforsaken reason, you don't want to hear Fenriz waxing philosophical about songwriting and Dream Death, the actual music kicks in at 2:44. Arctic Thunder is out October 14 via Peaceville.

Kim Kelly can't wait to hear this dang album; she's on Twitter.