Dark Throne Soulside Journey is one of the darkest metal albums ever. Dark Throne are known for being a Black Metal band, but at this early point in their career in up until 1991 when this mighty slab was recorded, Dark Throne were going with more of the Death Metal thing and this is one killer album. It’s another one that I can say was a real big influence on my life as a teenager way back then.
From the moment this one kicks off you know you’re in for a wild ride. I remember having that feeling my head was going to explode when I first heard this one. This was a game changer for me. The lyrics are a bit on the cryptic side so sometimes it’s hard to understand what they’re on about, but it generally seems to be of an occult nature focusing on darkness and their native Norway. Really it’s the guitar tone of the album that creates the mood with some nasty Death Metal vocals. This is basically evil as fuck. If you could imagine Autopsy mixed in with Swedish Death Metal you’d have a reasonable idea where to put this one. There’s the more obvious death metal influences but there’s some very black metal inspired stuff in this too which adds an interesting undertone to the album and an eerie indication of what the band was to become later.
The production on this is what some might call a little rough, but I think it perfectly showcases the band and the mood they were trying to produce. This is one of those albums I can’t imagine any other way than the way it is.
The opening track, “Cromlech” is one of the best death metal songs ever written, the dark eerie vibe just sets the tone for the rest of the album. There are some amazing riffs on this and when you listen to the album (especially if you have it on vinyl) it really takes you away. If you like the sounds of early death metal this is something you really need to hear. If you like the band as a black metal band, I still think this is a very worth album and a way to understand how the band transitioned into one of the most influential Black Metal bands in history. My favourite tracks on this are “Cromlech” “Sempiternal Sepulcharity” and “Nor the Silent Whispers” but seriously everything on this album is perfect. All I recommend you do is have a listen to this one (preferably in the dark) and soak it up in all its majesty.
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