ALBUM REVIEW: Primordial Arcana – Wolves In The Throne Room

August 18, 2021 Kris Pugh

Acting as a juxtaposition to its ‘close-to-home’ like creation: Primordial Arcana is tremendously expansive. That’s typical of Seattle black metal kings WOLVES IN THE THRONE ROOM, though. Few would step into the bands seventh record and expect by the books ambience. Over the past 15 years the three piece have largely acted as a musical chameleon; staying within the realms of extreme metal to a degree, but insisting on flexing their creative nous.

With recording, production, and mixing all handled by the trio – album seven feels more like an extension of the band than its own entity. The gap between artist and fan feels diminished, we’re right next to the looking glass. This idea comes to life as soon as Mountain Magick‘s stargazing intro hits full gear. Spaced, intricate guitar lines are surrounded by Nathan Weaver‘s patented low screech. It’s classic WOLVES IN THE THRONE ROOM, you feel the contrast of fury and beauty sat next to you.

Primal Chasm follows in a similar vein – few outfits have ever been able to offset their dark edges with as much beauty as WITTR. But it’s the atmospheric heights Underworld Aura soars to that iron brands what an achievement Primordial Arcana is. Its etchings of mid tempo are helped along by Kody Keyworth‘s long strums, there’s an inquisitive mystery to its build. Predictably: the build pays off. When Aaron Weaver‘s keys go toe to toe with his brother’s vocals you feel the climactic endgame come to fruition. Fit to soundtrack anything from a final fight scene to a show reel of heartache: the weight is undeniable.

Eyes will glisten at the sight of the near 11 minute Masters Of Rain And Storm, and so they should. WOLVES IN THE THRONE ROOM are renowned for their ability to never waste a second. It’s here where you feel the first serious blow of teeth shattering grit. There’s an unforgiving groove that forces its way through the tracks first four minutes, before succumbing graceful acoustic strokes. Not before, you guessed it: exploding into a cacophony of mind bending sounds and emphatic artistry. Like most of Primordial Arcana – it has to be felt to be understood.

A record made entirely from their vision, sweat, force, creativity, tears, and anger. Primordial Arcana follows in its predecessors footsteps of feeling more akin to an experience than an album. But more than that – here we find a WOLVES IN THE THRONE ROOM advocating their own expansion, and they’ve never sounded grander. WITTR were already firmly scratched in the annals of black metal history, this merely helps their cause for going down as one of the 21st Century’s greatest.

Rating: 8/10