This release came out of nowhere for me. While cruising the internet, I came across discussions on the debut album from Washington black metal outfit Wolves in the Throne Room. Across the board the band was getting compared to San Francisco’s phenomenal Weakling. Hey, if it’s getting comparisons to one of the best US black metal acts, the cd is definitely worth a look or two, right?

And indeed Diadem of 12 Stars is definitely an awesome black metal record, especially for a first outing. The comparisons to Weakling are a bit unfounded unfortunately (both in terms of quality and style. There are elements of Weakling, but not in the manner that is suggested), but the final product is still more than strong enough to stand on its own. This 4 song album has long, emotionally driven black metal ballads that move in between soft, down right folky melodic female vocals and your typical blackened shriek. The organic guitar work here or there brings up influences of Canadian black metallers Woods of Ypres or the folk doom of Oregon’s Agalloch alongside the more caustic black metal elements. However, the album never gets too soft and always retains its own strong sense of identity. Wolves in the Throne Room isn’t as dreary as some of their fellow American black metal bands, but their more forward and soulful approach to black metal is just as fulfilling.

The album doesn’t stand near the quality of Weakling, but there is more than enough good material here for fans to sink their teeth into. If you even casually like black metal, Diadem of 12 Stars is a recommended release.

Written By: Necro-tron