In my 13 years with DARKTHRONE, some fucken weird stuff has crossed my path, therefore I remember "Transilvanian Hunger" as the most crazy and mean time of my life.
- Nocturno Culto / Darkthrone interview, Nocturnal Cult, 2001
Released on this day in 1994. DARKTHRONE's fourth album, and after the controversy that followed, their last on Peaceville for about 12 years.
No other band has been boycotted to such an extent as DARKTHRONE. This feeble attempt to shut us up simply enables us to take this title: The worlds most hated band. We have no problems with that......
- Fenriz / Darkthrone interview, Slayer #10, 1994
After journalists and distributors objected to the back sleeve "Norsk Arisk Black Metal" text various statements, explanations and apologies followed; some from the label, some from the band...
DARKTHRONE can only apologize for this tragic choice of words, but PLEASE let us explain this. You see in Norway, the word 'Jew' is used all the time to mean something that is out of order, if something breaks down, if something is stupid etc. It's always been like this, we don't know why, it's just a coincidence in our slang language.
After a mutual separation DARKTHRONE signed to Satyr's Moonfog Productions. Their first release on Moonfog was Panzerfaust in June 1995.
We experienced regression, but we wanted to support a good idea, and besides Satyr was Fenriz's friend. Time to go to another label again? Yeah, why not.
...
Peaceville had got big problems because of us, and that 'Aryan' thing. But no money was involved in this shit.
...
I remember well this Aryan black metal thing. Imagine all the people trying really hard to make us look like nazi's. Not a very pleasant experience, I tell you. We are the least politically band in the world, man. But I can say to all you who reads this: you are facing a hell of a ride with Darkthrone in the future.
- Nocturno Culto / Darkthrone interview, From Beyond #6, 2000
Lyrics for the second half of the album were written by Varg Vikernes:
I asked Varg if he wanted to do some lyrics so that he could unleash Nordic art through DARKTHRONE. On our sixth album "Total Death" we will let 7 people from Black Metal Norway speak through us. Fenriz supports all antichristians. Maybe It from ABRUPTUM would like to speak through DARKTHRONE as well?
- Fenriz / Darkthrone interview, Slayer #10, 1994
From the old official label bio:
In 1994 Transylvanian Hunger was released and had the last 4 of the 8 songs written by Burzum main man Varg Vikerness, who later achieved infamy when he was tried and found guilty of murdering Euronymous. Stranger still, Euronymous introduced Darkthrone to Varg. This release had the lowest sound quality heard to date and was the most harsh thing any one had ever heard. Controversially at the end of the song As Flittermice As Satans Spys the phrase "In the name of God, let the churches burn" is played backwards. The CD also had a phrase on the back - "Norsk Arisk Black Metal" which the band claims meant True Norwegian black metal, this phrase caused a lot of heat as many people interpreted the word Arisk as Aryan, resulting in the following statement from Fenriz.
We wish to state that Transylvanian Hunger is beyond criticism, and any man who attempts to do so should be thoroughly patronised for his obviously jewish behaviour.
This obviously made matters even worse, Peaceville were not amused, resulting in band and label issuing separate public apologies. The band tried to explain that in Norwegian the word jewish simply meant idiot and was in no way meant as a racial insult. Peaceville found the explanation utterly unconvincing, and after the albums release band and label parted ways. It was after this that Darkthrone started to write their music in Norwegian and said they would only work with fellow Norwegians. This they did and joined the Norwegian underground label, Moonfog.