Wolves in the Throne Room, "Diadem of 12 Stars"

When I read the album title and saw the inner sleeve (men playing flutes and acoustic guitars around a fire with a naked woman in the background), I was expecting something psychedelic about fairies but when I listened to the music I realised I was way off. Wolves in the Throne Room are black metal with a few twists and surprises thrown in.

 

Vendlus
 
Diadem of 12 Stars is made up of four lengthy songs that meander through not only the nighted realms of black metal but there is also more melodic elements (a big folk influence from the sounds and looks of things). Musically Wolves in the Throne Room remind me of early Opeth with their blending of styles. Within the first five minutes of “Queen of the Borrowed Light,” they not only have the two guitarists unleashed a healthy amount of face melting riffing but they also break seamlessly into a gorgeous clean interlude. I know it’s not exactly innovative but they pull it off well. Also worthy of mention is the second part of “Face in a Night Time Mirror” which combines both the overdriven assault and a delay drenched refrain that sounds like an outtake from one of Constellation’s releases.

Both guitarists also provide vocals and unfortunately they didn’t always gel with me. One of them isn’t that bad, his growls are competent if a bit run of the mill. However the other one spends too much of his time sounding like Dani Filth (from the pantomime that is Cradle of Filth). The singing fits the music but because of this association I have with the sound of his vocals I keep cringing whenever he opens his mouth. I’m sure I’ll get over it. There are a lot of female vocals (actual singing as opposed to growls and screeches) which complement the two lads’ more extreme cries. The woman singing on the first part of “Face in a Night Time Mirror” sounds both corny and great for her overly dramatic delivery.

As much as I’ve blathered on about mixing styles, Diadem of 12 Stars is unashamedly metal. The double bass drumming is constant; almost too constant as it becomes background noise at times. Apart from that and the slightly annoying vocals this album shows Wolves in the Throne Room in a very good light. While I won’t go so far to say that they represent a mainstream version of black metal, they are more polished and less contrary than most of the underground metal bands. Diadem of 12 Stars is a solid album and I hope the Wolves don’t leave it long before howling again.

samples:

• Queen of the Borrowed Light
• Face in a Night Time Mirror (Part 2)
• (A Shimmering Radiance) Diadem of 12 Stars