BLOOD RED THRONE

Blood Red Throne have experienced significant personnel changes over the past few years and their latest eponymously titled offering is the first to feature a largely new lineup. Well, newcomers on 2011's 'Brutalitarian Regime', sticksman Emil Wiksten and guitarist Ivan “Meathook” Gujic, return once again alongside founding member Daniel “Død” Olaisen although bass virtuoso Erlend Caspersen has been replaced by Ole "Bent" Madsen and new growler Yngve "Bolt" Christiansen has assumed frontman duties to replace Osvald "Vald" Egeland. Wisely, and I'm sure as a matter of timing and circumstance too, this latest Blood Red bunch have been touring Europe's venues and festival stages prior to hitting the studio so were undoubtedly a well-oiled machine before recording a note at the start of this year. And it shows - their seventh album contains a series of tightly executed, slickly performed, ferocious death metal tunes topped off nicely by Bolt's low grunts and high growls. Many passages of music are characterised by the expected torrent of thunderous blast beats and rapidly picked, bass-heavy, down-tuned instruments although Blood Red Throne also remain a groovy beast in 2013. That's right, it's not all mindless musical brutality; compositions have once again been flavoured with sporadic thrash grooves that'll be certain to compel people into tapping their feet and banging their heads as much as wanting to go berserk in the pit. It's a tried and tested formula although Blood Red Throne are proven masters of such and this latest incarnation is no exception. And equipped with a resonantly heavy production this time around, coupled with a set of sharply mixed and mastered recordings, this self-titled suite of songs is another winner from the Norwegians. In one sense, it's a bold statement of longevity for longtime member Død as well as re-established vigour under the Blood Red Throne moniker despite the largely new lineup. I'm guessing this could account for the eponymous titling of the record and depiction of a blood red throne on the cover. Either way, it's good to have 'em back and as relevant as they've ever been.

LABEL:

FORMAT:

Sevared Records

Album

BLOOD RED THRONE

Review by Mark Holmes

RUNNING TIME:

35:41

RELEASE DATE:

21st May 2013

TRACK LISTING

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

COUNTRY OF ORIGIN:

Norway

"...thunderous blast beats and rapidly picked, bass-heavy, down-tuned instruments although Blood Red Throne also remain a groovy beast in 2013."