Nocturno Culto

In the shadow-drenched world of Norwegian black metal, few figures have cast a longer or darker silhouette than Nocturno Culto. Far from being just a name whispered in cultish reverence among aficionados of extreme music, Nocturno Culto, born Ted Skjellum on March 4, 1972, has etched an indelible mark on the genre as a relentless innovator and purveyor of its most austere tenets. Nocturno Culto stepped onto the black metal stage at a pivotal time in the early 1990s, a period of ferment and upheaval in the Nordic metal scene. As a member of the legendary band Darkthrone, Culto emerged from the frosty landscapes of Norway, a country whose stark topography and folk traditions provided a fertile backdrop against which the sinister strains of black metal would thrum. It was here that the band created some of the most influential music of the genre, drawing equally from the ferocity of the new wave of British heavy metal, the guttural legacy of death metal, and the anarchic ethos of punk. Darkthrone’s classic trilogy of albums — "A Blaze in the Northern Sky" (1992), "Under a Funeral Moon" (1993), and "Transilvanian Hunger" (1994) — saw Nocturno Culto and his collaborator, Fenriz, defining a subgenre of music as cold and uncompromising as the Norwegian winters. "A Blaze in the Northern Sky" arrived with little precedent, a groundbreaking work that infused the raw energy of punk with the demonic aesthetic of black metal, laying down a template that would unspool an entire movement. It was music stripped bare, raw and unembellished, driven not by studio polish but by the visceral energy of live performance. The early ’90s were marked by a burgeoning black metal movement suffused with controversy. The line between art and infamy blurred as church arsons and other criminal acts thrust the Norwegian black metal scene into the international spotlight. While some bands and figures embroiled themselves in these extramusical activities, Nocturno Culto and Darkthrone remained largely focused on their musical endeavors, resisting the temptation to participate in the chaos that enveloped the scene. Instead, they would pen albums that eschewed theatrics in favor of sonic severity and an almost ascetic devotion to the music itself. Hunter in the abyss of sound, Culto's contribution to Darkthrone's oblique approach can be found in his multifaceted role within the band. As both guitarist and vocalist, his work was as much about the music's architectural foundation as its delivery. His vocal style was distinctively cryptic and raspy, with a chanting quality that veered between evocation and invocation. His guitar work, meanwhile, defined much of Darkthrone’s sound, characterized by minimalist compositions and relentless tremolo riffs that evoked an omnipresent sense of bleakness and desolation. Beyond Darkthrone, Nocturno Culto pursued several side projects, including Sarke and Gift of Gods, further exploring the depths of eerie, atmospheric music while maintaining the raw inclination that fueled his main band. The diversification has allowed Culto to stretch and display an impressive versatility, crafting music that both celebrates and innovates upon the foundations laid by his earlier work. Nocturno Culto has also ventured beyond the music itself into the realms of documentary filmmaking with "The Misanthrope: The Existence of a Killer" released in 2007. It was a reflection on the personal aspects of his and Fenriz’s life, offering a rare, although slightly guarded, peek behind the curtain into their nonmusical interests such as world politics and rural life. The documentary, devoid of pretense, speaks to the genuine austerity of Culto’s living creed, bringing the community and landscape that shapes his music into sharper focus. Despite — or perhaps because of — their steadfast adherence to their roots, Darkthrone, with Culto as a core component, has weathered the ever-shifting landscape of metal for over three decades. This longevity, rare in the annals of black metal’s often transient history, speaks to the deeply engrained authenticity that Nocturno Culto has brought to the form. His faithful interpretation of music not only as an expression but as an elemental force echoes throughout each recording, whether emerging from a lo-fi basement session or a polished studio format. In the years since their initial recordings, both Culto and Darkthrone have moved in various musical directions. They have, at different times, embraced elements of crust punk and traditional heavy metal, always seeking evolution within revolution while remaining anchored to the primal power of their sound. Yet, despite these shifts, Culto has managed to preserve an enigmatic yet steadfast dedication to the purity and profound intensity that define his musical legacy. In the theater of black metal where masks and makeup often hide insecurities and inseparabilities, Nocturno Culto’s unadorned face and straightforward nature make him a paradoxically elusive figure. It is precisely this combination of artistic clarity and mystique that ensures his place in the pantheon of black metal, an undying sentinel guarding the darkened gates of his own creation.