Darkthrone is undeniably one of the most influential bands in metal history, with a career spanning decades and marked by significant stylistic evolution. Their second period, defined by their departure from death metal, is arguably their most impactful. While often remembered solely for its rawness and perceived minimalism, qualities that have shaped common perceptions of black metal, this era was far more nuanced. It showcased remarkable individual performances: Nocturno Culto’s unparalleled shrieking vocals, Fenriz’s inventive drumming, and the duo’s ability to craft evocative, unconventional melodies distilled into simple yet powerful riffs.
Among the albums from this period, Under A Funeral Moon stands out as the purest realization of these ideas, despite being the least celebrated compared to its predecessor, A Blaze in the Northern Sky, and successor Transilvanian Hunger. The album minimizes the death metal remnants of its predecessor and sharpens its focus on a few core ideas per song, achieving an intense sense of romanticism and bleak beauty without resorting to the ambience and hypnotic repetitiveness of its successor.
The track “Natassja in Eternal Sleep” embodies the essence of Under A Funeral Moon. It revolves around the interplay of three idiosyncratic riffs that, while appearing standard for black metal on the surface, remain uniquely Darkthrone’s. These riffs, combined with the song’s themes of lost love, resentment, and ultimate resurrection, create an unimitable work that exemplifies the band’s genius during this era.
Main Melody(0:00):
Alcohol is in my veins
Tears fall as I think of you
The true memory you left me with
Is a key to the wine of melancholy
I drown myself in the deepest of sorrows
As you burned on that stake they burnt my soul
Your pure feelings, your flaming hate
It was not enough
Lyrically, the song immediately presents themes of grief and loss. While alcohol is often thought to numb pain, here it deepens the narrator’s sorrow, emphasizing the profound connection they share with Natassja, as their souls are bound together. The narrative draws from “The Farmer and the Witch” folktale, which parallels the tragedy of Romeo and Juliet, but with the witch burned at the stake while the farmer lives on in regret. Darkthrone, however, highlights the shared hatred and the intensity of their emotions as the true force that binds them instead of the farmer living on in regret or shame.This recontextualization emphasizes raw, unfiltered emotion over moralistic or redemptive themes, underscoring black metal’s emphasis on primal, visceral experiences.
The riff consists of three distinct arpeggios, each broken into three-note tremolo runs in 3/4 time. Despite being in triple meter, the arpeggios themselves are based on four-note sequences, creating an interesting tension between the rhythmic structure and melodic content. This unpredictability, characterized by shifting ascents and descents, serves as the perfect introduction for what makes Darkthrone so unique during this period, as each arpeggio defies conventional black metal logic in substance while being its perfect representation in form. We will break down the riff into its constituent arpeggios.
Arpeggio 1: B Major Add Flat 3rd (Badd♭3)
Starts on the root note (B), ascends to the major third (D#), drops to the minor third (D), then shifts up to the major third an octave above (D#’).This arpeggio creates a bittersweet and unsettling ambiguity due to the juxtaposition of the major and minor thirds. The major third suggests brightness and resolution, while the minor third adds tension and conflict. The result is a tense, unresolved emotional quality, perfectly fitting for expressing inner turmoil or conflicting feelings.
Arpeggio 2: D Major
Begins a minor third above the first arpeggio (D), ascends to the major third (F#), drops back to the root (D), then leaps to the major third an octave above (F#’) which is a really bizarre way of voicing such a basic chord and by accentuating the major third twice it creates a very strong sense of resolution with the previous chord. The D major arpeggio provides a stark contrast to the Badd♭3, introducing a brighter, more stable resolution. This chord relieves the tension built by the first arpeggio, offering a brief but much-needed sense of clarity and balance.
Arpeggio 3: D Minor
Once it begins a minor third above the previous arpeggio (F), ascends to the major third (A), drops to the major second (G), then leaps to the major third an octave above (A’), before descending back to the starting point. The D minor arpeggio shifts the emotional tone again, reintroducing a darker, more introspective quality. Unlike the Badd♭3, it doesn’t rely on dissonance but instead contrasts with the preceding D major chord. The transition from D major to D minor creates a subtle but poignant sense of loss and reflection that quickly vanishes as its only played twice.
Secondary Melody(0:50):
Natassja, my beloved satanic witch
The power in your eyes and yourself
Worked for the noble in man
Natassja is portrayed as a powerful transgressive figure embodying mysticism and rebellion who goes against conventional morality. Paradoxically her dark nature inspires the best in man due to her strength and resilience which awaken higher purpose.
The shift to 4/4 time provides a sense of rhythmic stability amidst the emotional chaos. The streamlined tremolo picking pattern when contrasted with the previous melody creates a continuous, ethereal texture which is the base of black metal but the mood is enhanced due to the contrast and dissonant and unconventional chord progression.
The chord progression in this section uses unconventional and jarring shifts to create tension and unease while still deeply rooted within a minor tonality that expresses both sorrow and chaos. Starting with A# minor to G# minor establishes a somber tone, but the sudden move to G Major introduces disorientation through chromatic contrast. The F# fourth to F fifth transition emphasizes unresolved tension, moving from ambiguity to raw power. Finally, the E augmented fifth adds a distinctly otherworldly and dissonant character, leaving the progression unresolved and unsettling. These shifts, combined with the smooth rhythm, create a hypnotic yet chaotic atmosphere, enhancing the song’s emotional depth and instability.
Interlude(1:28):
Pass the bottle
Pass the knife
Pass me your unholy crafts
I shall never forget you
The best of all there is
I lick your cold lips
I embrace your coffin as I sigh in woe
Here, we are presented with a death metal riff that recalls the band’s debut, beginning with a bar of alternate picking on the low string to establish an aggressive and driving foundation. Even during their early death metal era, Darkthrone’s signature sense of melody and unpredictability was evident, making the inclusion of a “Soulside Journey-esque” riff feel natural rather than out of place. The aggression of the music aligns seamlessly with the lyrics, reflecting a shift from introspection to a commanding, ritualistic tone. Alcohol is once again portrayed as a means to amplify pain, serving as a catalyst for a ritual that deifies Natassja and transcends the boundaries of life itself. Through the revolting imagery of “licking her cold lips,” the narrator expresses a love so potent and obsessive that it defies societal norms, embracing the macabre in a way that would unsettle most, yet remains central to the song’s dark romanticism.
The riff is broken down into two-note arpeggios grouped in fours without any syncopation, yet it retains a sense of rhythmic variation through the way the low E is used to move around these groupings within the bar. This interplay imbues the riff with a sense of chaos and instability, despite the steady underlying rhythm. The chord progression (E -> G5 -> G# -> G -> F#) formed by grouping the arpeggios is jarring, as it disregards traditional harmonic principles and even chromaticism, instead relying on tonal shifts to create unease and defy expectations. This distinct approach sets Under a Funeral Moon apart from other raw black metal albums by refusing to maintain a singular mood. Instead, it enhances the overall atmosphere through sharp detours and the exploration of varying styles and emotions, all while remaining true to its central themes and ideas.
Return to Sorrow(Secondary Melody Reprise)(1:55):
You never kissed the priest
You never drank the blood of Jesus
Weird, they say
Well, turn it upside down like you did
And they kill, kill
And they take you away
After the interlude, the song transitions back to deep sorrow and admiration, with the earlier turmoil fading as the secondary melody returns. Though this melody is played exactly as before, the variations and spontaneity in the performance recontextualize the reprise. The large swells in tempo and the shifting meter of the vocals, which might spell disaster for most bands, are held together here by the strength of the individual musicianship. Lyrically, this is the most straightforward verse in the song, focusing on the rejection of Christianity and its fatal cost for Natassja. It asserts that “the noble in man” arises from the inversion and defiance of Christianity, which seeks to suppress anything that might reveal that truth.
Climax and Conclusion(Main Melody Reprise):
Now, centuries later
I do yours and my sign
You live in me, like you moved in with my soul
Your resurrection is the spirit of you
Installed in me so now your thoughts
And your pains are my wine
And Natassja
I’ll get these goddamn angels drunk
The song returns to its captivating main melody, seamlessly melding all the preceding emotions. This long riff brings together the sensations explored earlier for a final time, concluding a short song that, despite having only three distinct sections, feels deeply narrative. Each part evokes unique emotions that flow perfectly into one another, culminating in the main melody, which encapsulates all the emotional tones present. The bond between the narrator and Natassja has now transcended time, transforming into something far greater. Their love has fused, with her spirit now embedded in him. He possesses not only her thoughts but, more importantly, her pains, which have replaced the alcohol he once obsessively used to heighten his own suffering. In a final act of defiance, he resolves to inebriate the angels with their shared pain, exposing the truth by rejecting christianity.
At first listen, “Natassja In Eternal Sleep,” and by extension Under A Funeral Moon, might seem like a straightforward raw black metal that relies more on atmosphere and individual performances than intricate composition. While these elements are undeniably fundamental to the album’s greatness, they only scratch the surface of what truly defines this black metal classic. Beneath its almost impenetrable exterior lies a perfect embodiment of romanticism, exploring a multitude of styles with its own eccentricities. Its unique sense of melody, operating entirely on its own logic, unveils a deeply emotional core, solidifying Under A Funeral Moon as one of the highest peaks of the black metal genre.
