Review: Eternalthrone – From the Depths of Mortal Flesh
Here we’ve got Eternalthrone (yes, it’s spelled as one word), largely a solo project of “Crucifix” who handles all vocals and strings (other instruments are handled by session musicians). The band’s only release (as far as I can tell), From the Depths of Mortal Flesh is about as defiantly old-school as it gets, paying homage to the icons of early second-wave black metal whilst aligning themselves with some of the more straightforward unblack metal sounds of bands like Frosthardr and Skald in Veum, as well as secular bands like Craft (outside of the vocal dissimilarities, I definitely hear Terror Propaganda elements on this one) and old-school Mayhem.
It’s always great, to my mind at least, to see bands doing this sort of thing; that is, mining the tried-and-true sounds of the past that served to establish and define a particular sound in metal. However, it’s another thing to do that well, and to succeed without being derivative. Does Eternalthrone manage to do that? To a degree, yes, I’d say so.
Beginning with a spoken word intro concerning the Incarnation, Eternalthrone launch into some classic Darkthrone/Frosthardr riffs right away; oddly, though, the track sort of just carries along without any vocals until well past the two-minute mark. Certainly an odd way to begin things, but it is what it is. What follows is the kind of black metal that any fan of the more raw and primitive approach to it all will enjoy, though somehow, despite the style, it all comes off rather palatable. Crucifix’s vocal work is understated and raspy, brought right to the forefront, but could do with a bit more of a powerful or throatier delivery. Still, it works.
What I love about this one is that Eternalthrone wears its heart on its sleeve, openly flaunting its influences without succumbing to simply being a copy. In black metal, that’s a hard thing to do; witness how many Darkthrone clones are out there, musically, aesthetically or both. Not that there isn’t a place for that kind of thing either – it’s like being annoyed that thrash bands sound like Slayer or Testament, or that death metal bands sound like Suffocation or Cannibal Corpse. Big deal. Still, it is a fine line to walk when it comes to being influenced by a selection of bands without simply photocopying every element. That’s where I think Eternalthrone’s strengths lie – the classic early ’90’s Mayhem riffing, the primitiveness of Darkthrone, the groove of Frosthardr and Craft are all heard to some degree or another, but played in this band’s own particular way.
That said, there are some misfires on occasion. The Attila Csihar-style operatics and croaking heard in one section of the song “From the Depths of Mortal Flesh” are not quite there for me, for example. “My Fate” begins with some solid old-school riffing, though I can’t get past the strange two-note synths in the track that made me think of someone ringing a doorbell; remove those, and the track is strong (synths and keyboards mixed into these kinds of tracks are more distracting than anything from the impact, in my opinion). But these are just minor observations, minor quibbles concerning a band that is just, I think, getting its footing here.
And for that matter, From the Depths of Mortal Flesh, while not an earth-shattering experience, definitely shows promise. Repetitious, minimalist black metal has long been my thing, and I find this one growing on me a lot; its reverent nods to the old-school, early 90’s style are well done and largely well-executed. Keep an eye on this band; I know I definitely will be.
Check the album out HERE.
For Fans Of: Darkthrone, Frosthardr, Carpathian Forest, Mayhem (early), Anima Mortuum, Craft, Skald in Veum
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