Pre-orders for DARKTHRONE's 40th anniversary box set "The Fist In The Face Of God" are reportedly selling fast ahead of its March 6 release via Peaceville Records, with multiple retailers indicating that allocations are nearly exhausted. The limited deluxe 10-disc vinyl box set, pressed in just 2,000 copies worldwide, covers the Norwegian duo's pure black metal era from 1992 to 2004 — spanning from the genre-defining "A Blaze In The Northern Sky" through "Sardonic Wrath."
The set represents perhaps the most comprehensive reissue project in black metal history. All albums have been freshly remastered by Patrick Engel at Temple of Disharmony, with Fenriz and Nocturno Culto personally overseeing the process to ensure the recordings retain their raw, lo-fi character while benefiting from modern mastering clarity. The accompanying 48-page hardbound book features extensive liner notes, rare photographs from the band's archives, and new commentary from both members reflecting on each album's creation.
A DVD included in the set features a new 2025 interview with Fenriz and Nocturno Culto — a rarity given the duo's well-known aversion to self-promotion — as well as rare 1996 Oslo live footage that has never been officially released. Posters and art prints round out the package, making it a definitive collector's piece.
DARKTHRONE, formed in Kolbotn, Norway in 1986, remain one of black metal's most influential and enduring acts. While the band transitioned to a crust-punk-influenced style in the mid-2000s, their early black metal recordings — particularly "A Blaze In The Northern Sky," "Under a Funeral Moon," and "Transilvanian Hunger" — remain foundational texts of the genre. The box set's rapid sellout speaks to the enduring reverence for this era among collectors and fans worldwide.