Adopted black metal aesthetic

In 1991, influenced by Euronymous of Mayhem , Darkthrone adopted the aesthetic that would come to symbolize the black metal scene, donning corpse paint and using pseudonyms . Gylve Nagell became ” Fenriz “, Ivar Enger became ” Zephyrous “, and Ted Skjefull adopted the name ” Nocturno Culto ”. In August 1991, they recorded their second album, released in early 1992 and titled A Blaze in the Northern Sky . This album featured Darkthrone’s first black metal recordings, although Peaceville Records was initially skeptical about releasing it due to the band’s drastic shift from their original death metal style. After the album was recorded, bassist Dag Nilsen left the band, stating that he did not wish to play black metal. He is credited only as “session bass” and does not appear in any photographs on the album.