Wolves In The Throne Room – Primordial Arcana

Releasedate:  20-08-2021
Label: Relapse Records

Wolves in the Throne Room is an American black metal band formed by brothers Aaron and Nathan Weaver almost twenty years ago.. Their last release dated back to 2017 but this year they return with a new full length release called “Primordial Arcana”.

It is the seventh studio album from the American Black metal formation and those who are familiar with them know that the band is often having ancient energies and nature in their inspiration list. The atmospherically side we have got to known the band with is certainly addressed again. Right when you start listening you hear the confidential sounds coming to you.

Where some songs are surprisingly modest in aggression, others are more surprisingly building towards an highlight. One of the most remarkable tracks that you can find on this album is “Underground Aurora”. It starts all eerie, like you are captive within a cave, but when some synths come in it draws you in further. Beautiful tones combined with vocals that are forming an opposite. A playfield that leads this slow-paced track through a diversity of emotions and moods. This is maybe the essence of the album combined, summarizing all that can be found within “Primordial Arcana”.
As to put something against this you can listen to “Primal Chasam (Gift Of Fire)”. It is a heavier and darker track in various ways. The vocals are more prominently leading the track. The tempo grows and you feel this to be one of the most energetic tracks.

Sometimes it feels like Wolves In The Throne Room had a movie in mind while writing the album. A cinematic experience that is now open for interpretation of the listener, but certainly tells you something when listening a bit deeper. A fine release of these guys, a good follow-up to “Thrice Woven”

Line up:

• Aaron Weaver – Drums, Percussion, Keyboards, Vocals
• Nathan Weaver – Vocals (lead), Guitars
• Kody Keyworth – Guitars, Vocals

1. Mountain Magick
2. Spirit of Lightning
3. Through Eternal Fields
4. Primal Chasm (Gift of Fire)
5. Underworld Aurora
6. Masters of Rain and Storm
7. Eostre
8. Skyclad Passage

Links:

Bandcamp