Here we have the self-titled debut album on Clavis Secretorum from German black/death metal ensemble Thron, who are comprised of members of various acts from the Black Forest region intent on paying homage to the greats of the early/mid '90s extreme metal scene. Throughout much of Thron you'll be reminded of the late, great Swedish band Dissection, who of course mastered the art of blackened death metal to perfection over the course of their short career. Plenty of muscular riffs and raging tremolo picked excursions to be found on tunes such as "Satan's Speech", "The Blacklist", and the amazingly titled "Orphaned by the Undertaker", supported by gymnastic rhythms and screeching vocals. The galloping "Mutilation of the Unholy" and the sizzling "The Evilution of Satan" provide plenty of violent, energetic moments, lead guitars flying and double bass drums brutalizing, thankfully the band not content with just relying on constant blast beats and normal black metal trappings, opting instead for a more varied attack that is quite satisfying.
Based on what is on display here, the band known as Thron seem to have a bright, or shall we say 'dark', future ahead of them. Very solid stuff for any fan of blackened death metal.
Track Listing
01 Purified in FireD
02 Satan's Speech
03 The Blacklist
04 Orphaned by the Undertaker
05 Mutilation of the Unholy
06 Bloodfeast
07 The Evilution of Satan
08 Blackest Hell