The Fist In The Face Of God is a humongous limited deluxe 10 disc boxset celebrating Darkthrone’s first forty years on record, courtesy of Peaceville Records, available now.
Focusing on the purer black metal period of the band, there are nine classic albums in what’s being termed the “unholy trinity” of Peaceville albums spanning 1992’s genre defining A Blaze In The Northern Sky up until 1994’s Transilvanian Hunger opus, and concludes with Darkthrone’s 2004 swansong for then label Moonfog Productions, with Sardonic Wrath.
Each album features updated mastering by Patrick Engel at Temple of Disharmony to ensure they remain in line with the originals, each title is also supplied with their original covers and sleeve designs and presented on heavyweight vinyl.
A 48 page book written by longtime friend of the band, Harald Fossberg, details the career of Darkthrone through this essential period for the band’s development and output, and contains rare images from the period.
There is also a tenth disc in the form of a DVD with an exclusive new interview, recorded in 2025, with both Fenriz and Nocturno Culto conducted by Fossberg, covering the full history of the band, plus bonus features in the form of a trilogy of interviews from 2003, plus the band’s rare 1996 live show in Oslo. The set also includes a selection of posters and art prints containing artwork and classic band photography.
Forming as Black Death back in 1986, Darkthrone became one of the most notable metal bands to have emerged from Norway, being inspirational to a generation of other bands and uncompromisingly steadfast throughout. From the death/doom technicality of debut Soulside Journey to spearheading the notorious “second wave of black metal” period of the early 1990s, and the integration of punk and heavy doom elements along the way.
As Fenriz noted: “This box celebrates 40 years through forests and over heath and includes a filmed interview with us which is as rare as chicken teeth.”
The boxset features: A Blaze In The Northern Sky (Disc 1), Under A Funeral Moon (Disc 2), Transilvanian Hunger (Disc 3), Panzerfaust (Disc 4), Total Death (Disc 5), Ravishing Grimness (Disc 6), Plaguewielder (Disc 7), Hate Them (Disc 8), Sardonic Wrath (Disc 9) and a DVD (Disc 10) featuring the new 2025 band interview with Harald Fossberg, a 2003 interview and live in Oslo 1996.
