Norwegian black metal band Darkthrone has unveiled a limited edition deluxe box set titled 'The Fist In The Face Of God' to mark its 40th anniversary. The 10-disc collection, set for release on March 6, 2026, by Peaceville Records, highlights the band's core black metal era from 1992 to 2004. It includes nine albums along with bonus materials like live footage and interviews.
Darkthrone, a pioneering Norwegian black metal group based in Kolbotn, Akershus, formed in 1986 as the death metal band Black Death. The group shifted to black metal in 1991, drawing inspiration from Bathory and Celtic Frost, and released its only death metal album, 'Soulside Journey', that year. This transition propelled Darkthrone to prominence in the Norwegian black metal scene, with its first three black metal albums—'A Blaze in the Northern Sky' (1992), 'Under a Funeral Moon' (1993), and 'Transilvanian Hunger' (1994)—forming the influential 'Unholy Trinity'.
The new box set, 'The Fist In The Face Of God', compiles these nine key albums from the band's black metal peak: 'A Blaze in the Northern Sky' (1992), 'Under a Funeral Moon' (1993), 'Transilvanian Hunger' (1994), 'Panzerfaust' (1995), 'Total Death' (1996), 'Ravishing Grimness' (1999), 'Plaguewielder' (2001), 'Hate Them' (2003), and 'Sardonic Wrath' (2004). Beyond the discs, the package features a rare 1996 live performance from Oslo, a DVD with a new 2025 interview featuring core members Fenriz and Nocturno Culto, historic footage, a 48-page book by collaborator Harald Fossberg containing rare images, and various posters and art prints.
Since guitarist Zephyrous departed in 1993, Fenriz and Nocturno Culto have been Darkthrone's sole members. The band has maintained a low profile in mainstream music but recently collaborated with the National Library of Norway on exhibits exploring black metal and Norwegian cultural history. Post-2006, Darkthrone's sound has evolved, incorporating elements of doom metal, punk, speed metal, and classic heavy metal into its releases. Preorders for the box set are available now.
