Some could be forgiven for thinking that black metal bands are nothing but frustrated make-up artists with an unhealthy obsession with the occult and Sir Lucifer.
Peel away the layers of corpse paint though, one will find bands with a deep respect for nature. This is most apparent when listening to the first wave of Norwegian black metal. Those pioneers of the genre were keen to illustrate the beauty of their ice cold surroundings with album art reflecting silent forests with silouhettes of trees piercing night skies conveying a profound respect for these bands’ surroundings.
Such an aesthetic has been adopted by later bands, most notably by American outfit Wolves in the Throne Room (WITTR). Formed by siblings Aaron and Nathan Weaver in 2002 in the fog-covered vistas of Olympia, Washington, WITTR’s musical concept was to transfer “energies of the Pacific Northwest’s landscape” into musical form.
The band’s first recording was its 2005 demo – a black CD-R wrapped in fur with moss inside the lyric sheet which caused a stir in the metal underground. To date, WITTR has released seven full-length albums, two EPs and two live recordings but it all began with that initial demo.
Fans who missed out on its original release back in the day can now rejoice as WITTR has re-released this seismic recording. The band’s ambition and scope is all too apparent even on this early stabs at atmospheric black metal.
Although it only features three songs, the running time spans over 50 minutes and is reflective of the band’s sense of musical adventure. First off, a note of warning as it is a demo, the sound is far from polished and the drums, in particular, lack the punch of later professional studio efforts. However, as far as demos goes, the sound quality is pretty acceptable and is even superior to those produced in the nascent black metal scene from Northern Europe in the late 80s.
The three tracks on offer encapsulates the band’s vision mission as well as what was to come next. Queen of the Borrowed Light announces the arrival of a band that can thrash with the very best but also one that has something bit more to offer apart from relentless speed and aggression.
Dagger of Amethyst Crystal is a spellbinding weave of a track that feature all the usual black metal elements of anguished screams and dissonant guitars churning to create a perfect aural maelstrom.
The multiple shades and varying tones is best captured on A Shimmering Radiance which clocks in at an almighty 25 minutes, taking listeners on an epic and immersive journey.
Black metal fans who feel that the genre has become a tad too polished will welcome the release of this demo. Raw, uncompromising and totally brutal, it is indeed a throwback to the genre’s early years. But at the same time, the epic scale of the songs hint at the grand ambition lurking within.
