Their first three black metal albums — A Blaze in the Northern Sky (1992), Under a Funeral Moon (1993), and Transilvanian Hunger (1994) — are frequently referred to as the "Unholy Trinity.

While they have aimed to remain outside the mainstream music scene, in recent years they have collaborated with the National Library of Norway for exhibitions focused on Norwegian cultural history and black metal.

In 1991, influenced by Euronymous of Mayhem, Darkthrone adopted the aesthetic that would come to symbolize the black metal scene, donning corpse paint and working under pseudonyms.

Gylve Nagell became "Fenriz," Ted Skjellum became "Nocturno Culto," and Ivar Enger adopted the name "Zephyrous."

Transilvanian Hunger was characterized by a raw or low-fidelity recording style, featuring monotone riffing with minimal melody.

Its production closely resembled that of Transilvanian Hunger, with Fenriz credited for all instrumentation and songwriting, while Nocturno Culto contributed solely vocals.

Their sixth album, Total Death, was released in 1996 and is notable for featuring lyrics penned by four other black metal musicians, with none written by the band's primary lyricist, Fenriz.

On 6 April 1996, Easter Eve, Darkthrone played their last live gig at "A Night of Unholy Black Metal"[14] in a sold-out Rockefeller in Oslo.

While Transilvanian Hunger and Panzerfaust featured songs exclusively written by Fenriz, these two albums contained tracks predominantly composed by Nocturno Culto and were both recorded at Ronny Le Tekrøe's studio in Toten, Norway.

Sardonic Wrath was released in 2004, marking the band's last album with Moonfog Productions and their final work recorded exclusively in the black metal style.

To commemorate their return, Peaceville reissued the Preparing for War compilation, which included a bonus CD of demos and a DVD of live performances.

While Darkthrone's black metal roots remained evident, their departure from the genre's typical sound was increasingly pronounced.

While the music continued the punk-oriented style introduced on The Cult Is Alive, this time the band placed greater emphasis on traditional heavy metal.

In late 2010, Peaceville acquired the rights to the band's Moonfog albums and reissued Panzerfaust as a two-disc set and on vinyl.

This album represented another significant musical shift for the band, featuring a rawer, more blackened sound reminiscent of their 1990s output, but with the classic metal influences of the previous record.

Released on 25 November 2016, the album comprises rehearsals recorded in 1991 and 1992 for songs that later appeared on A Blaze in the Northern Sky and Under a Funeral Moon.

The album featured a stronger emphasis on doom metal characteristics than previous releases, with their Candlemass influences becoming more apparent.

[26] The band's eighteenth studio album, Eternal Hails......, was released on 25 June 2021, through Peaceville Records on physical media and digital platforms.