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May 17, 2012 |
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01. Crimson Legions
02. Dance Of A Thousand Knives
03. Last Will
04. Blacker Than Black
05. Vortex Of Confusion
06. A.M.S.G.
07. Daemon's Claw
08. Night Stalker
09. Seven Plagues, Seven Wrath (Xes Revelation)
10. Hellgium Messiah
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Let's face it - black metal is in danger of becoming a parody of itself. With a history that is less than stellar, and some bands that are more into the look/attitude than the actual music, black metal is not always taken seriously by fans or the press. There are bands like DIMMU BORGIR and EMPEROR, however, that excel at what they do and have set an incredibly high standard with their intensity and creativity - essentially for what others strive for. While some bands come close to the mark, the majority of the black metal bands are being left behind.
So where do ENTRHONED fit in? Well, I'd say somewhere right in the middle of the pack - not as adventurous as some bands, yet more capable than most. With "Xes Haeriticum", ENTHRONED are not about to knock the mighty DIMMU off the top of the heap (ok, some say CRADLE OF FILTH are at the top of the blackened pile, but I don't agree...that's just my opinion), but it isn't likely that they'll be left far behind either.
"Xes Haeriticum" is a good black metal offering, with Lord Sabathan's Dani-esque vocals, and the appropriately scary guitars of Nornagest and Nguaroth. Drummer Glaurang (doesn't anyone have 'regular' names anymore?) who plays fast, furious, and machine-gun like, is the highlight of most of the songs. The man is a monster behind the kit!
The problem with ENTHRONED is that they haven't really done anything to set themselves apart from their peers. Yes, they are a good band, but so are a lot of other black metal acts, and in order for ENTRHONED to stand out, they have to try and push the boundaries. "Xes Haeriticum", though an intense album, doesn't really do that. In the end, that might turn out to be a problem for these guys.
If you are a looking for an album of symphonic black metal, "Xes Haeriticum" may be a letdown for you as there are no orchestras here and the production is far from lush. But, if you like your music raw, with plenty of rage and intensity, then this latest ENTHRONED offering just might be what you are looking for.
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