Wolves In The Throne Room

Conceived by brothers Nathan and Aaron Weaver during a protest for the radical environmental group Earth First!, Olympia, Washington's Wolves in the Throne Room merge Cascadian eco-spiritual consciousness with the musical tropes of Scandinavian black metal (although their lyrics eschewed their forebears' willful misanthropy, Satanism, and violence) in a massive, crushing, multi-dimensional sound the band describe as "transformative black metal." It is writ large with ritualistic drumming, layered buzzing guitars, pulsing basslines, and blankets of analog and digital synths with dirty and clean vocals. Rehearsing and recording at a converted farm, the group released the haunting Diadem of 12 Stars (2006), eventually signing with vanguard metal label Southern Lord. The duo met and collaborated with producer/engineer Randall Dunn for the acclaimed Black Cascade (2009) and Celestial Lineage (2011) albums, and the self-released Thrice Woven (2017). After signing to Relapse, they issued Primordial Arcana, their self-produced label debut, in 2021, and followed it with the 2023 EP Crypt of Ancestral Knowledge. Comprising dual vocalist/guitarists Rick Dahlin and Nathan Weaver, plus drummer Aaron Weaver (Nathan's brother), Olympia, Washington's Wolves in the Throne Room deal in dour black metal epics inspired by long, bleak winters, pagan legends, and Scandinavian bands like Darkthrone, Windir, and Enslaved. Honing their dark craft with two EPs in 2004 and 2005, the trio recorded their well-received debut full-length, Diadem of 12 Stars, in 2006, releasing it through Vendlus Records. Arriving in 2007, the Southern Lord-issued Two Hunters expanded on the group's already cavernous sound, while 2009's Black Cascade found them moving away from the sprawling ambience of their earlier outings in favor of a more muscular, traditional black metal direction. Released in 2011, Celestial Lineage successfully married both approaches, resulting in their most refined and confident outing to date. In 2014, the band issued Celestite on their own Artemisia label, a largely experimental and instrumental sister album of sorts to Celestial Lineage that introduced dense, synth-driven vistas into their ever-expanding palette of sounds. After an intense and lengthy bit of global touring, WITTR retreated into the studio for further experimentation in expanding their sonic palette and redefining their own particular brand of American black metal. In September of 2017, they issued the five-track full-length Thrice Woven (also on Artemisia). The set included two guest vocal performances from Anna Von Hausswolff -- including the first single and video, the nine-and-a-half minute "Born from the Serpent’s Eye" and "Mother Earth, Father Ocean." "The Old Ones Are with Us" featured a spoken word intro from Neurosis' Steve Von Till. In 2020, WITTR signed to Relapse; their debut album for the label, Primordial Arcana, arrived the following year. A full realization of their D.I.Y. ethic, it was created entirely by the band, from recording and production to cover art, and reflected their continuing fascination with pagan spirituality and the wonder of the natural world. Crypt of Ancestral Knowledge, a four-song EP ranging from dark acoustic folk songs to atmospheric industrial tracks, appeared in 2023.
© Eduardo Rivadavia /TiVo