Always ahead of the black metal curve or constantly redefining what exactly that curve even is, Darkthrone are back with their best record in years and arguably the best metal record of the year thus far. If you've been following Darkthrone over the last few years, their style has taken an interesting turn away from the second wave of black metal they helped define toward a crust punk / black metal hybrid akin to Amebix having sex with Carpathian Forest while Venom jerks off. "The Underground Resistance" retains some of the punk riffs but plenty of the punk spirit and injects even more Sodom, Mercyful Fate, and Bulldozer into the mixture to create a metal cocktail that is one of the most enjoyable buzzes I've had off of a metal album in years. Crisp production and recording brings out the songwriting and power of the instruments and compliments the songs without losing any of the raw emotion the band is recognized for. Where "Dark Thrones and Black Flags" and "Circle the Wagons" had confused moments, the newest Darkthrone effort is demonstrative of confident songwriting and a band that has found the sound they've been searching for for quite some time. Truly bright musicians are able to create songs that allow influences to arise naturally without forcing them to the forefront awkwardly, it is great to see Darkthrone reach the pinnacle of their abilities with this release.
9 / 10
-Joe