This is sort of a big deal for me. I’m getting to review the new album from USBM stalwarts Wolves in the Throne Room called Estuary. I’ve reviewed some heavy-duty emotional albums recently from Enterré Vivant, Green Carnation, and Mother of Graves, and those have done a pretty good job of pulling the old heartstrings but Wolves in the Throne Room know which buttons to push, and push them they do.
There’s a certain type of magic that a perfect Black Metal album has; it comes after years of being scene leaders since 2004 and on their 8th full-length (that’s not including the vast catalog of Eps and singles; etc.) They’ve gained a fan in me;I have never really listened to them before except for maybe the odd song, so this is the first real time for me.
Six songs in 48:25 minutes, and each cut draws oceans of blood, starting with the title track. “Estuary” rises out of the darkness slowly at first, then come the blast beats; commanding and strident. A brief Thrash bit and it’s off to the races. As far as comparisons go, I get a huge Norwegian influence right away. But these guys are from beautiful Olympia, Washington; far from Norway.
Next up is “Knights of Tiamat” and it’s a brutal tempest right out of the gate of Babylon… Huge sound, and when the stomping turns to blasting, it’s fucking awesome. Shit gets nasty mid-track when they dial up the atmosphere to eleven; this will be the part of the show where the first half of the smoke machine budget will go. There might be fire columns as well.
This album looks and sounds amazing. Wolves in the Throne Room knows what they’re doing at this point in their career. USB , especially that made in the Pacific Northwest, has this otherworldly feeling to it. Estuary has a sense of foreboding to it, like at any second a Wendigo is going to materialize in your room. The blast is when the beast attacks and you know you’re fucked.
“Foretold in Reflections” has a cryptic, miasmatic, slow-burn method to its conqueror worm aspect. It’s also 9:54 minutes long and, to be honest, these aren’t short songs. But, good news! They don’t overstay their welcome. Yes, it’s almost 10 minutes long, but it doesn’t feel like that when you’re listening to it. “The Orca Cliffs” is next up and it’s a ripper right from the start, but then it becomes something otherworldly. Thrashing drums beat out a psychotic rhythm before it slows down at the 2:30 mark. Wolves in the Throne Room is a master of atmosphere, and this track displays that perfectly.
The last two tracks, “Ghosts Among the Obelisks” and “Wretched Spirits, Land of the Light”, are blistering attacks. The former starts out with some crazy effects-ladenguitar riding this ridiculous groove and some hellish vocals from Nathan Weaver. When the blast kicks in and the whirlwind picks you up and throws you around like garbage over a fence, this is such a vicious song, and it doesn’t relent for one second. The latter is the most Emperor-sounding song on Estuary. Especially Anthems to the Welkin at Dusk era. There are huge, stab-the-sky moments where you can feel the elements gather around your soul. It’s a huge “With Strength I Burn” section that burns with ethereal wrath and keeps the track going at the 4:22 minute point it slows down to a more Covenant, In Times Before the Light (1997) vibe to it.
At the end of the day, Wolves in the Throne Room has created a gorgeous yet brutal album. I cannot recommend Estuary enough. The combination of lush, beautiful keys against utter brutal darkness is magnificent to hear. In a year that’s already seen a slew of stellar releases, Wolves in the Throne Room has unleashed a monster, and it would do you well to go get Estuary now.
