Thorns
Thorns (2025 Reissue)
Digipak CD

Boundary defying darkness from black metal pioneer Snorre Ruch, featuring Hellhammer, Aldrahn and Satyr. Includes two bonus tracks.

Originally formed in 1989 by mastermind Snorre Ruch, Marius Vold, & Bård Faust (EMPEROR), Norwegian band Thorns has inspired a great number of acts such as SATYRICON, MAYHEM, DISSECTION, & EMPEROR, mainly due to Snorre's highly influential style of playing & creating riffs on the early THORNS demo tapes. So impressed was Euronymous of MAYHEM, that Snorre became second guitarist in the band for a while & his riffs were used in classic MAYHEM tracks. Thorns was the band's debut (and only, thus far) full-length studio album. It was released in 2001 & is a cult slice of highly-individual Norwegian black metal, including experimental & sometimes industrial influences along with synth passages to create a chilling yet clinical slice of extremity. The album was notable for featuring Satyr of SATYRICON on vocals, a duty shared between songs with the vocal talent of Aldrahn (ex-DØDHEIMSGARD) & the recording line-up also featured Hellhammer of MAYHEM on drums. The outcome was a unique & original album which is today considered a cult classic release by critics.