Artist: Old
Country: Germany
Label: Unsilent Tombs Records
Formats: LP / CD
Year: 2023
German Black/Thrash Metal band Old is the owner of a modest back catalogue which was realised around the mid 00’s. The authenticity of the offered material gained them a bit of a cult status amongst the true aficionados of the true to the bone kind of Black Metal. But in the years that would follow the band faded into a state of uncertainty, leaving their audience wondering whether the band actually split up or went on some sort of indefinite hiatus. Regardless of the status of the band for the past fifteen years, in 2023 Old returned with a warning shot. But, the band seemed to have already been reformed or got refuelled in 2018, but for some reason I totally missed that, so ‘Dawn Of Darkness’ completely left me dumbfounded.
But, if Old was already a great band with their 2006 released ‘Down With The Nails’, the pieces of the puzzle seem to fall into place even better anno 2023. Not only does their band name do fit them even better now than it did ever before, on a musical level things are more clear and their role in the development of the genre becomes evidently clear. Back in 2006 the band’s debut and only album, the aforementioned ‘Down With The Nails’ sounded quite a bit like a mixture of Darkthrone and Aura Noir, giving a much needed shot of Red Bull to the Black/Thrash Metal genre. The Darkthrone connection didn’t end there and was not only musical, the album was also released on Tyrant Syndicate Productions, the short-lived imprint of Fenriz and Nocturno Culto of Darkthrone. Darkthrone had already tentatively entered a transitional phase, one of many that typify the career of this influential band, but it is abundantly clear with the knowledge of today that Old had a clear influence on Darkthrone’s musical direction from between 2005-2015.
So, while Darkthrone had been of great importance to the sound of Old, they seemingly have returned the favour to their Norwegian musical blood brothers. And while ‘Dawn Of Darkness’ sees the light of day no less than seventeen years after their first and only offering, it is a welcome relief to conclude that Old has not progressed or changed their musical course. Darkthrone might have moved on and transitioned to something else again, Old stayed true to their roots.
‘Dawn Of Darkness’ is full of fierce and proud riffs, giving more than a kind and appreciative nod to classic Hellhammer, Sodom and Destruction. The all so familiar and trademark barking vocals (with the occasional high pitched scream) and the basic drums are the icing to this charcoaled cake. For those who are not in the know, do not expect lightning speed or flashy guitars, this is the sort of Hellhammering that is as old school as it gets.
In the end there’s little words needed to describe the music, the background story does the talking here. And although I was caught off guard by the band’s return, the band have again proven that you can’t spell Old School without Old.
