A consistent and reliable force for death metal authenticity since 1998, Blood Red Throne have never quite received the attention they deserve.
Union Of Flesh And Machine may not make a massive difference, but the Norwegians’ eighth album is plainly one of their strongest efforts to date and a very welcome reminder that the basic death metal template still has the capacity to thrill and terrify.
This band’s biggest selling point has long been the ferocity of their attack, and from the nose-shattering violence of opener Revocation Of Humankind, it’s obvious that the latest BRT lineup has somehow managed to inject even more venom and vitality into their grotesque formula. Guitarist DØd has never lost his knack for penning incisive, skin-flaying riffs, and there are so many here that the overall effect borders on bewildering. From the heads-down stampede of Proselyte Virus to Mary Whispers Of Death’s blend of Bolt Thrower rumble and Avulsed grind, these are raw but elegantly constructed bursts of unpretentious brutality that skilfully scratch that unerring death metal itch. A foul, unhinged roar through Priest’s Leather Rebel provides the virulent icing.
