Bloodthorn
Onwards Into Battle
[Season Of Mist]
How much time should a man wait for an album like this? Tell me, a year, two, five years maybe?? Bacause if I had known, I would have agreed to wait, really. The Norwegian version of Opeth? Pretty close. Majestic dark metal, somber and heavy. Here comes the gooseflesh, and can anyone define a better criteria than this, to judge whether a recording is a godly piece of art or just a piece of shit? Not I.
Well, to relatively anonymous Bloodthorn this would be their second long play album, but boy, are these guys talented! A duo which had enough intelligence in them to know how to draw from all elements, the right ingredients just to the extent that they will sufice and dance hand in hand perfectly without topping one another. They took all which is good in dark metal, plus the effect of wisely using keyboards and the atmosphere produced by conventional black metal and the result is very good. Most parts are slow and almost dreamy (but not doom-slow), some outbursts of anger (aka blast beats), heavy-metal - influenced guitar solos, a very good vocalist which is a combination between Sheitan's, Alastis' and Opeth's kind of vocals, and to add a real spice to the music they use once in a while a marvelous female singer (believe me, she's good!). The guitar and keyboards sections are beautifully leveled with each other, both are equaly dominant (the keyboards aren't playing only the role of filling empty holes in the music). Bloodthorn lacks the typical Norwegian sound (Which is good by me), maybe because they don't play Black Metal, but again this very successfull MishMash of styles and influences, and this assorted heap of genres may be the most beautiful thing an artist can produce out of metal's 'building stones'. If someone should ask me what is 1999's best extreme metal album, Bloodthorn's 'Onwards Into Battle' would definitely be a nominee. War music, exciting, heavy, chilling and mostly enjoyable. Whomever is not familiar with this nordic outfit, will do himself a hugh favor if he got acquainted with this band quickly. Just amazing!
© 2000 c. drishner
Well, to relatively anonymous Bloodthorn this would be their second long play album, but boy, are these guys talented! A duo which had enough intelligence in them to know how to draw from all elements, the right ingredients just to the extent that they will sufice and dance hand in hand perfectly without topping one another. They took all which is good in dark metal, plus the effect of wisely using keyboards and the atmosphere produced by conventional black metal and the result is very good. Most parts are slow and almost dreamy (but not doom-slow), some outbursts of anger (aka blast beats), heavy-metal - influenced guitar solos, a very good vocalist which is a combination between Sheitan's, Alastis' and Opeth's kind of vocals, and to add a real spice to the music they use once in a while a marvelous female singer (believe me, she's good!). The guitar and keyboards sections are beautifully leveled with each other, both are equaly dominant (the keyboards aren't playing only the role of filling empty holes in the music). Bloodthorn lacks the typical Norwegian sound (Which is good by me), maybe because they don't play Black Metal, but again this very successfull MishMash of styles and influences, and this assorted heap of genres may be the most beautiful thing an artist can produce out of metal's 'building stones'. If someone should ask me what is 1999's best extreme metal album, Bloodthorn's 'Onwards Into Battle' would definitely be a nominee. War music, exciting, heavy, chilling and mostly enjoyable. Whomever is not familiar with this nordic outfit, will do himself a hugh favor if he got acquainted with this band quickly. Just amazing!
© 2000 c. drishner