Wolves In The Throne Room - Black Cascade

There's a lot of hype right now surrounding California melodic black metallers Wolves In The Throne Room. Two demos led to the release of their proper debut, 2006's Diadem of 12 Stars. This album put the band on the map with their melodic and creative approach to black metal. The follow up, 2007's Two Hunters was an even more impressive album. I like the band's lyrical stance and their desire to add different intricacies to their extreme metal style. Joining guitarist Will Lindsay and the Weavers (vocalist/ guitarist Nathan and drummer Aaron) is bassist Ross Sewage- he who has been a member of everyone from Impaled to Phobia to Exhumed to Ludicra to Ghoul. Speaking of Ludicra, Wolves n The Throne Room take a similar approach to their music.

Black Cascade consists of just four songs, mostly well over ten minutes in length. Opening track "Wanderer Above the Sea of Fog," is almost straight melodic black metal. "Ahrimanic Trance" has some really cool melodic weirdness happening at the end, though the song drags a little too long. I was also impressed by closer "Crystal Ammunition," which takes a turn for the dramatic around the ten minute point.

Wolves In The Throne Room will not be a band to get old school black metal fans excited, this is definitely the new class of black metal.