In the world of heavy metal, few bands have left as indelible a mark as DARKTHRONE. The Norwegian duo, comprising Ted "Nocturno Culto" Skjellum and Fenriz, has been a beacon of black metal since its inception in 1986. Their influence is so profound that it's hard to imagine the genre without them. But now, as the band prepares to release its latest studio album, "Pre-Historic Metal," on May 8 via Peaceville Records, a new chapter is about to unfold. Enter AVRAK, a heavy rock project led by Skjellum, which promises to be a fascinating departure from his DARKTHRONE days.
A New Sound, A New Beginning
AVRAK, which made its live debut in April, is a collaboration between Skjellum and Anders Hegna, a guitarist known for his work in NØD, EL KAYENNE, and SVIDD GREVLING. The band's musical direction is a blend of classic heavy metal and hard rock, with a hint of doom and black metal influences. This is a significant shift from DARKTHRONE's signature sound, which has always been characterized by its raw, unfiltered black metal aesthetic.
"On the album that we recorded in February, [Anders] has the kind of, let's say, a bit of a more rock guitar sound thing, and I have the more metal guitar sound thing, and they kind of blend together," Skjellum explains. "The music is very... I mean, we play two different things almost all the time on this album, and it sounds really chaotic, but this is the hard part for us to be working with. To get this right, it takes a lot of time, and also our arrangements and small details."
A Labor of Love
The creation of AVRAK was a labor of love. Skjellum and Hegna spent five days in a cabin in the mountains, locked away from the world, honing their craft. "We locked ourselves into a cabin up in the mountains for, like, five days," Skjellum recalls. "We had a lot of equipment with us, and we had never played together before, and let's see how this works out. And it could be after the first night that we just [say], 'Okay, this doesn't work. We are going to sit here for five more days.' But we were on to something quite early. And it's a lot of coincidences on how this is working."
A Musical Partnership
The partnership between Skjellum and Hegna is a fascinating one. Despite their different musical backgrounds, they share a common love for classic heavy metal. "I listened to KREATOR up until '87 max, and he's likes [listening] to things from '88 and onwards," Skjellum says. "So I have a bit more old-school path. But it's fun."
A New Chapter
AVRAK is more than just a new band for Skjellum; it's a new chapter in his musical journey. "For us, it's like a milestone because all the hours we put into this project, and we also played actually a concert now in late April," he says. "So, the goal for AVRAK is to play more live. I mean, we have a great band together. So, we got that confirmed in April that, yes, sure we can play live. It's no problem."
A Musical Evolution
The evolution of Skjellum's musical style is a fascinating one. From the raw, unfiltered black metal of DARKTHRONE to the more polished, classic heavy metal sound of AVRAK, he is constantly pushing the boundaries of what he can create. "I think the AVRAK album is coming out this autumn sometime," he says. "And we're looking forward to it."
A Musical Legacy
In the end, AVRAK is not just a new band for Skjellum; it's a testament to his enduring love for music and his commitment to pushing the boundaries of what he can create. "I think that that's kind of one of the things that makes it interesting for me because I'm a huge fan of the classic heavy metal from the '80s and stuff like that," he says. "The more optimistic decade somehow, something like that."
As AVRAK prepares to release its debut album this fall, the world is eagerly awaiting to see what this enigmatic duo has in store for us. In my opinion, this is a band that is poised to make a significant impact on the heavy metal scene, and I can't wait to see what they come up with next.
