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Is it possible that in our pursuit of the perfect form we sometimes lose the content? I know it happens to me often. When trying to solve a technical problem by the book or proper manual I often do not make the best, the most creative, decision. Norwegian duo Throne of Katarsis apparently weren’t satisfied with where the genre of Black Metal was going as of late. Perhaps they felt that a certain sense of purity and trueness was lost, and the only way to write a proper Black Metal album is to do everything by the book of the early 90s Norwegian Black Metal. The band grossly succeeded in their distillation process. All of the outsider influences have been eschewed and completely eliminated. The production is bassless and razor thin. Guitars are handled with flawless technique in a blinding tremolo. Guitar tone is super-shrill, especially in the leads. The slow parts exhale the ugliness and pull tendons right outside one’s body. Grimnisse’s voice may be more upfront than usual, but, most of the time, it is the old and trusted unyielding cawing shriek. Vardalv blasts are on cue, his toms undergoing periodic thud explosions. There are no Norsecore death metal influences here, no folk melodies or industrialized rhythms, synthesizer loops, orchestra, or any other such nonsense. This is grim and pure. Yet somehow, this aesthetically proper mixture tastes rather bland. If only Throne of Katarsis tremolo was a tad more melodic. It is trying, in spots, but strays into chaos eventually. If only the moments of horror atmosphere (Symbols of Winter) persisted. If only cleaner anguished sections in the end of Funeral Moonlight and monk-like chorus in Under Guds Hud sounded more occult. If only album’s two better tracks, Nattaander and An Eternal Dark Horizon, my opinion, which manage to take some of those shrill melodies and raise them to a fever pitch, weren’t pushed towards the end. If only short acoustic guitar parts, an innovation in the style, weren’t so sporadic and made a bigger impact. If all of these aspects would have materialized on An Eternal Dark Horizon we would not have been talking only about perfect form with this album, but also marveled at its substance. To add one more “if” to many already listed above. If only Mayhem, Satyricon and Ulver weren’t creating music in the early 90s. Then, Throne of Katarsis would’ve opened eyes and shaken foundations. Sadly, Nattens Madrigal has been already committed to a music sheet, and An Eternal Dark Horizon is no Nattens Madrigal either. |
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Killing Songs : Nattaander, An Eternal Dark Horizon |
Alex quoted 56 / 100 | |||||
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