German death metal band Thron crack on with their fourth album, Dust.

Formed in 2015, Thron is a band of mystery. I read a recent list of the musicians in the band as this: Samca (vocals), PVIII (guitars), SII (guitars), SXIII (bass), and CII (drums). So, there you go. I think of the band as progressive death metal, but you can see many elements in their composition. The music on their new album is described this way in the press blurb: “With Dust, [they] incorporate new elements in their sound by going back to their very roots which lie in the early 80s when bands like Iron Maiden, Judas Priest and Mercyful Fate ruled the field, and at the same time taking inspiration from the 90s when bands like Tiamat, Edge of Sanity or Sentenced expanded their horizon. This combined with serious dedication to the glorious Progressive Rock dinosaurs of the 70s and the love for the dark extreme musical arts with blasting fury and aggressive vocals…” Does that clear things up? Let’s listen in.

“Dying In The Mud” holds nothing back, starting with a broad sound and deploying forcefully along the main lines. The music is death metal, presented in a formal and polished fashion. The gruffness comes in with the vocals, and as the song progresses, it becomes more aggressive. The lead guitar work is campaign-like, resolved to do its work over time. “Return…” has been released as a video already, and it blasts its way through all obstacles. Tough and surging, this music has a purpose. Then comes “The True Belief,” and its posture is more measured, you might say more serious in tone than battering. The vocals are talkative as the guitars begin scaling and the pressure rises. Very nicely done, and the album is only getting going.

The overall impression I get from this music is that the legitimate death metal is made approachable by the varying set-ups and divergences. You are kept guessing throughout, and yet you are always rewarded with each new take. There are a couple of bonus tracks, “Into Oblivion” and “The Tyranny Of I,” that appear only on the CD and download versions. Keep that in mind, but in the end, whichever way you go on format, you can’t lose. Recommended.

Dust is out on Friday, March 31^st through Listenable Records on digital, cassette, CD, and vinyl. Shop at the links below.

Band photo by Thomas Rossi.

Links.

Bandcamp, https://listenable-records.bandcamp.com/album/dust

Facebook, https://www.facebook.com/THRONKvlt/

Listenable Records, https://shop-listenable.net/en/

© Wayne Edwards