Search - :: THE SHADOWTHRONE

Another brilliant release from Satyr and Frost

en norsk kis | 03/18/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This is sometimes considered the quintessential Satyricon release (myself, I prefer Dark Medieval Times, but this album is a CLOSE second,) and it certainly is marvellous. And unlike Emperor, Satyricon were able to create a sevond full-length album that was more epic than the first, without being pompous and melo-dramatic. Where DMT was more folk/medieval, this album is conspicuously more Viking metall-ish. There is even a Viking metal song to be found on this disc (the aptly-titled "Vikingland") The musicianship is tighter on this release, and the song-writing is slightly less minimalistic (which some consider to be an improvement.) Satyr's vocals are also amazing, being very fierce and raspy, yet not overly so. Frost gives another astounding performance. There seems to be just slightly less of an emphasis on the use of the acoustic guitar on this album, as compared to DMT, and to regain the balance, there is a slightly higher use of keyboards, for ambience and atmosphere. Satyr even experiments a bit with some clean vocalled passages! And he conquers these quite well, too. Lyrically, this album follows the pattern of DMT, in that about half of the songs are written in English, and half in their native Norwegian (not sure if this is modern Norwegian or archaic Norwegian, though.)



Of particular note is perhaps Satyr's finest composition to date, the album closer "I En Svarte Kiste," which translates to something along the lines of "In the Black Casket." This track is an all-keyboard instrumental funeral dirge, and it is amazing. It begins with ambient synth lines, and then progresses to a keyboarded horn passage, and ends with several minutes of an organ passage. This track makes it imminently clear where Satyr would be heading with his side-project "Wongraven." Worth the cost of the album alone.



In short, this album, along with DMT, has helped greatly to define early-90's Norwegian black metal. Unfortunately, these releases have since been (unjustly) overshadowed by bands like Mayhem, Emperor, and Darkthrone, which are great bands in their own right, but I can't help but think their reputations have done more for them than their actual musical recordings. Either way, this album is essential for all bm fans, and even those non-BM fans looking for something a little different."

A Black metal Classic

Igar The Terrible | Canada | 03/20/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"_The Shadowthrone_ and _Dark Medival Times_ are true Black metal classics. This, and _Hvis Lyset Tar Oss_ by Burzum, were my introduction to black metal, and I can't say that I could have found a better place to start. The whole album is as cold as ice, from the Battle cry that opens the album to the funeral sythn ending. If you've just discovered satyricon, you could pick this up but I'd recommend getting _Nemesis Divinia_ before picking this up. I say that because _Nemesis Divinia_ is the bands most famous record. And It is an easier introduction to this band overall.



But if your already fammiliar to satyricon and/or black metal Pick this up now! And for those of who like bands like Cradle of Filth or Dimmu Borgir, go out and listen to some of the bands that made the bands you like what they are today.



If you Like Satyricon check out these other bands:

Burzum

Mayhem

Darkthrone

Windir

1349

Emperor

Enslaved

Immortal"

Strength and beauty

Andreas Faust | Tasmanian Autonomous Zone | 12/08/2009

(4 out of 5 stars)

"'The Shadowthrone' has a centrifugal sense of gathering power. I was stunned by the power of this album when I heard it in '95, and it still has the power to inspire me today. 'Woods to Eternity' makes the hairs on the back on my neck stand up. This even more than Darkthrone or Burzum's efforts was the album that made me want to start learning Norwegian, and heightened my interest in languages in general (for the ignorant who think that metal has no educational value). The solemn chants, the power, the mystery, the sense of readiness for battle...this is one of the classic works to come from the Norwegian Black Metal explosion - classic in the sense that it hasn't aged a bit."