Artist: Wolves in the Throne Room
Album: Black Cascade
Year: 2009
Label: Southern Lord
Genre(s)/Style(s): super-misty agrarian black metal
Line-up:
Nathan Weaver - Vocals, Guitar
Will Lindsay - Guitar, Backing Vocals
Ross Sewage - Bass
Aaron Weaver - Drums
Tracklisting:
1. Wanderer Above the Sea of Fog - 10:33
2. Ahrimanic Trance - 14:05
3. Ex Cathedra - 10:58
4. Crystal Ammunition - 14:20
Everyone's favorite frostbitten farmers are back with a vengeance in 2009, with the Malevolent Grain EP and the eagerly-anticipated Black Cascade full-length.
Black Cascade is not another Two Hunters. Whereas Two Hunters had a lot of really cool mellow / tribal bits, this has none. Nor is it another Diadem of 12 Stars; there's no epic atmosphere to sweep you off your feet. Instead, Black Cascade is simply a Wolves in the Throne Room album. Nothing stands out. It's just the fuzzy guitars and the constant, unrelenting drumming. More of the same primal curb stomping.
Don't get me wrong, it's a good album. It's just the typical WitTR sound without any flair. The songs blend together and don't take a whole lot of interesting turns. It ends up getting too much on the monotonous side, and when it's over, you're left wondering what exactly happened to the past 50 minutes. Although, the droney bits that pop up here and there are really nice and soothing and add a proper dynamic edge and there's a really nice acoustic section in the middle of "Crystal Ammunition". The vocals are still retching and full of despair. But something's missing that really made the last two albums masterpieces. Perhaps the lack of those sweeping female vocals? Or the super-atmospheric sections that sounded like field recordings of an African village at night? Maybe it is simply the monotony of it all. Nonetheless, Black Cascade is certainly missing something.
Verdict: 70% - Solid, but nothing special.
Try it. (rapidshare / 109 MB)
Buy it @ Southern Lord: CD
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