Throneum The Unholy Ones

Throneum may have begun playing their particular brand of blackened death metal in 1996 well before the genre was internationally embraced, but after one listen to their latest EP, you might believe their roots went even further back. Not only does The Unholy Ones sound like it could have been recorded in the late 80's, it manages to capture some of the genuine intensity and raw power that escapes many of the frontrunners in this increasingly ubiquitous genre. Balancing carefully between the atmospheric depth of black metal and the aggressive, thrash-y tendencies of early death metal, Throneum have produced an excellent EP that makes its mark despite its relatively brief running time. Over the course of this disc's eight tracks, Throneum compiles a compelling case for a return to simplicity in metal. Most of the songs are structured around elementary thrash and death metal riffs. There's not necessarily a lack of technical ability as much as a seeming desire to minimize showiness and let the songs speak for themselves. The production is a great example of the difference between "lo-fi" and "shitty." Every instrument and vocal is clearly audible in the mix, yet the individual tracks sound as if they could have been recorded in a garage. Simplicity, however, can be a double-edged sword and in this case, the basic nature of the songwriting and performance will undoubtedly limit Throneum's audience. Bottom Line: The Unholy Ones is a record by old school metalheads for old school metalheads. There's not much challenging about it, but there's also very little to dislike. It doesn't push any boundaries or break new ground, but every so often, it's nice to hear a band succeed at something relatively safe rather than fall short trying to grasp at genius. If your tastes lean towards 80's and 90's death or black metal, you'd be doing yourself a disservice not to check this EP out.