SATYRICON: (1994) The Shadowthrone

This is sometimes considered the quintessential Satyricon release (myself, I prefer Dark Medieval Times, but this album is a CLOSE second,) and it certainly is marvellous. And unlike Emperor, Satyricon were able to create a sevond full-length album that was more epic than the first, without being pompous and melo-dramatic. Where DMT was more folk/medieval, this album is conspicuously more Viking metall-ish. There is even a Viking metal song to be found on this disc (the aptly-titled "Vikingland") The musicianship is tighter on this release, and the song-writing is slightly less minimalistic (which some consider to be an improvement.) Satyr's vocals are also amazing, being very fierce and raspy, yet not overly so. Frost gives another astounding performance. There seems to be just slightly less of an emphasis on the use of the acoustic guitar on this album, as compared to DMT, and to regain the balance, there is a slightly higher use of keyboards, for ambience and atmosphere. Satyr even experiments a bit with some clean vocalled passages! And he conquers these quite well, too. Lyrically, this album follows the pattern of DMT, in that about half of the songs are written in English, and half in their native Norwegian (not sure if this is modern Norwegian or archaic Norwegian, though.)
Of particular note is perhaps Satyr's finest composition to date, the album closer "I En Svarte Kiste," which translates to something along the lines of "In the Black Casket." This track is an all-keyboard instrumental funeral dirge, and it is amazing. It begins with ambient synth lines, and then progresses to a keyboarded horn passage, and ends with several minutes of an organ passage. This track makes it imminently clear where Satyr would be heading with his side-project "Wongraven." Worth the cost of the album alone.
In short, this album, along with DMT, has helped greatly to define early-90's Norwegian black metal. Unfortunately, these releases have since been (unjustly) overshadowed by bands like Mayhem, Emperor, and Darkthrone, which are great bands in their own right, but I can't help but think their reputations have done more for them than their actual musical recordings. Either way, this album is essential for all bm fans, and even those non-BM fans looking for something a little different.

Track Listing:
1. Hvite Krists Dod
2. In The Mist By The Hills
3. Woods To Eternity
4. Vikingland
5. Dominions Of Satyricon
6. The King Of The Shadowthrone
7. I En Svart Kiste

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