Where in the past, listening to a Wolves In The Throne Room record felt like you was being thrown into the midst of an orc battle, they are a much more measured prospect these days, although nonetheless still a force to be reckoned with. With new album Estuary they continue to grow and develop their sound, and in turn continue to stay at the forefront of US black metal.
Heavy on atmospherics, tracks such as opener ‘Estuary’ and the following ‘Knights Of Tiamat’, paint the band as masters of USBM, having built themselves up to that position. There is an almost innate understanding of when to slow things down, and when to unleash all hell, which can only come with a band who has played together this long. The in your face brutality of old may be toned down, but the impressive heaviosity is more than enough to temper any doubters.
With black metal, particularly in the US, being appropriated into new forms and reaching ever closer to mainstream and critical acceptance, it’s refreshing to hear a band stick to the original values. That’s not to say they don’t like to experiment as on ‘Foretold In Reflections’ which is a much doomier affair, all down-tuned guitars and haunting atmospherics. It’s a real awe-inspiring moment in the album and you find yourself lost in its world as the final ambient textures let you down from its torpid, choral grandeur. ‘The Orca Cliffs’ feels almost like a rude awakening as it ups the ante again, before evolving into a cinematic landscape of emotional peaks and troughs. It’s enough to leave you breathless, and the album is only two thirds of the way through.
Everything feels so epic about this album, with tracks regularly reaching the 8 minute plus mark. ‘Ghost Among The Obelisks’, in particular, is a moment of enormous scope as it sweeps you along. They don’t forget their roots though as on final track ‘Wretched Spirits, Land Of The Light’ which retains some of the old school black metal rawness within its genes. It feels as if Wolves In The Throne Room come full circle with it, although they do find time to accentuate the rawness within its genes moments of beauty. It’s this dichotomy within the heart of their music which makes them such a powerful and emotional listen. They may have been around for some years now, but as proven on Estuary, they are not ready to let up yet. An incredible listen and album of the year contender.
