Norwegian black metal icons Darkthrone have announced their 22nd studio album: 'Pre-Historic Metal' drops on May 8th, 2026 – in the year of the band's 40th anniversary, no less.
Drummer Fenriz describes the album's sound as "frightfully barbaric but not without finesse." The "prehistoric" concept represents the band's approach of using classic metal techniques to create contemporary material. In the studio, he and Nocturno Culto collaborated more intensively than in recent years, focusing on eight compact, riff-heavy tracks rather than their typical expansive arrangements.
The album artwork features Fenriz holding a gardening fork – typically dry Darkthrone humour that perfectly matches the band's raw, unfiltered sound.
With eight tracks, the Norwegian duo have deliberately chosen brevity and impact. If you know Darkthrone, you know: less is definitely more.
'Pre-Historic Metal' arrives May 8th, 2026 – 40 years after the founding of a band that has shaped extreme music like few others.
