February 26, 2016 marked the 24th anniversary of Darkthrone‘s landmark second album A Blaze In The Northern Sky. It is a release that many see as a pivotal moment in the beginning of black metal’s second wave.

Unfortunately, the band’s label Peaceville Records and the band’s bass player did not see it that way at the time. The album marked a sudden stylistic shift to black metal with only traces of the death metal that the band had been previously known for. Bassist Dag Nilsen was not happy with the musical direction the band was taking and quit the band over it. He did agree to record the bass parts for the record though and is credited as a guest musician. The label had a less understanding reaction to the unannounced musical shift. Though the album was recorded early in 1991 it would not see the light of day until 1992 after a prolonged dispute over the mix, which Peaceville wanted to “clean up.” The lo-fi sound of the album would eventually stand and the rest is history.

This week’s Black Metal Friday band needs no introduction. Norwegian legends Darkthrone are amongst a very small handful of bands that kick started the second wave of black metal in the early ’90s. Their “unholy trinity” of albums, A Blaze in the Northern Sky,Under a Funeral Moon and Transilvanian Hunger as well as their fiercely DIY ethic are widely considered to be the template for most of the black metal that followed.

The duo behind Darkthrone, Fenriz and Nocturno Culto have steered away from black metal in recent years in favor of a more crust punk approach but they will always be held in the highest reverence for their contributions to the dark genre. Here, from A Blaze in the Northern Sky, is Darkthrone with the classic anthem “In the Shadow of the Horns.” Crank it up and throw some horns of your own in honor of the masters, Darkthrone.