Blood Red Throne - Blood Red Throne

So, it's been over two weeks since I last posted for you guys. In that time, I've finished Uni for year, gone on a week long slam bender, and re-designed the page among other things. Now I'm ready to get back into a semi regular routine until the week after next when I'll be leaving to fuck shit up at Hellfest in the south of France. A full article detailing the weekend of carnage will follow when I return. Until then I bring you this, the latest album by Norwegian lunatics Blood Red Throne...

1. Soulseller
2. In Hell I Roam
3. Hymn Of The Asylum
4. Primitive Killing Machine
5. Deatholation
6. Torturewhore
7. Exoneration Manifesto
8. Dødens Makt
9. March Of The Undying

Blood Red Throne hail from Kristiansand in deepest, darkest Norway. Being an OSDM (Old School Death Metal) band in the nation that put Black Metal on the map means that Blood Red Throne are unfortunately often seen as a needle in a haystack when it comes to being noticed, by people unfamiliar with the Norway scene and those uneducated in death metal in particular. The band's reputation for releasing allegedly "patchy" albums doesn't help either. However, after a change of vocalist, the band has come storming back into our lives with this new self titled offering, which in my honest opinion has redeemed them for any previous offences committed against my ears.

After the departure of previous vocalist Vald, many wondered if BRT would be able to make a comeback, but new vocalist Yngve "Bolt" Christiansen has shown everyone that these guys are by no means down for the count. His lows are as impressive as anything Vald was capable of. And while his highs may sound slightly scratchy on occasion, they also sound absolutely ferocious and make the music sound truly deadly (pardon the pun).

"Soulseller" begins ominously but soon kicks into a monstrous groove. Pounding drums couple with sludgy, Bloodbath-esque guitars, complete with soaring solos and squeals aplenty. "In Hell I Roam" features a nice groove midway through but the first song to truly grab my attention is "Hymn Of The Asylum", after a short sample, a groove comes in that fills me with rage and adrenaline, making me want nothing more than to beat the shit out of something. As the song fades out I feel amped up to fuck and hope that the next song doesn't disappoint. "Primitive Killing Machine" doesn't let me down for a single second. The riffs have so much groove and punch to them that each new riff feels like a new blow to the head. As soon as one song fades out another bursts into life as if from nowhere and pummels the shit out of you. This album just does not let up. Not even once. Granted most of the lyrics here aren't anything extraordinary, but then again most BRT fans don't want that anyway. This is pure unadulterated Norwegian fucking death metal. And to be honest, if you don't like that, fuck you.

Anyway, continuing on with the music, whereas most albums tend to slow down around the half way mark, this album keeps the heat on with "Torturewhore", a song about inflicting pain on women (now that's original in death metal isn't it). Scathing sarcasm aside, this is a very enjoyable song with a very melodic bridge section that makes the song enjoyable to not give a fuck how cheesy the lyrics are. "Exoneration Manifesto" is the first song to actively showcase new bassist Ole "Bent" Madsen, proving that just because it's an OSDM album and not tech-death, it doesn't mean the bass just has to get lost in the mix. And then the grooves start again and I find myself windmilling uncontrollably. This album really is starting to become very enjoyable.

"Dødens Makt" is, at 3 minutes even, the album's shortest song. But that doesn't stop it from beating the shit out of you sonically until you submit to its will. The riffs in this song sound powerful as fuck and never slow down or ease up.

And now we come to closer "March Of The Undying", a monster of a track that truly blew me away the first time I heard it. The riffs, squeals, harmonies and grooves are fucking crushing in this song. And the samples really do compliment the atmosphere of the song. This song epitomises BRT for me, mixing groove and power with some sweet solos and "breakdown" riffs. I dare you to listen to this song without headbanging at least once. If you don't then you clearly shouldn't be listening to the album in the first place.

In conclusion, fans of groove based OSDM will love this, and BRT fans will be happy. The demons from Kristiansand have return to claim their throne (again, pardon the pun) as Norway's premier death metal band.

9/10

For fans of: Bloodbath, Vomitory

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Blood Red Throne is available now on Sevared Records