If nothing else, Transilvanian Hunger provides the best blueprint for which much of the harsher black metal legions base their own music. The cover is extremely minimalistic and in black and white. The guitars are thin and register more on the treble end of the scale. The drums are also reduced to mere chalk outlines of rhythm and tend to plug along in the most basic, straightforward of patterns. The vocals are hissed and rasped with no heed to melody.
Songs tend to abruptly end as if the band decided they had used enough studio tape.
However, within all this seemingly unlistenable veneer is a rather impressive record that offers eight snapshots of what this style can be if done properly. Darkthrone had the ability to whip together a fluid, vaguely melodic platoon of songs that offered more than a few memorable tunes. The guitar lines are often repetitive, yet the actual melody within them is what makes Darkthrone stand apart from the rest of the pack. Even though the heart of the song is obscured by the buzzsaw sounds, the overall feel is as bright as day. If nothing else, Transilvanian Hunger is a landmark record for a limited genre of music.