Review: Battle Dagorath - “Eternal Throne” (2009)
At first glance, Battle Dagorath’s “Eternal Throne” is a bit of a paradox. On the one hand, the heavy Lord of the Rings influence in the band name and lyrics lead one to perhaps expect epic, warlike Viking metal (Battle Dagorath refers to the final battle for Middle-earth, which incidentally bears many similarities to Ragnarök from Norse mythology). But then the snowy cover art and song titles like ‘In the Forest of Frozen Darkness’ point to an album of colder, harsher black metal. Which will it be?
The first few seconds of the opener ‘Dämmerstunde’ (which along with the last track was written and performed by Vinterriket) let you know you’re in for something cold and atmospheric. The first real metal track, ‘Dead Eyes of the Moon,’ begins with a slow, Burzum-like arpeggiated line before launching into the storm of atmospheric blackness that continues through most of the album.
Battle Dagorath’s sound centers on the harsh, murky and relentless atmosphere they create. The guitars are a bit low in the mix and are further obfuscated by the production, which is fairly clear but masks everything in subtle blur of noise. The drumming is effective and highly skilled, varying things enough to stay interesting while not distracting from the overall sound.
The vocals are one of Battle Dagorath’s strong points, sticking to an echoing mid-range rasp most of the time which perfectly fits the music. Occasionally, the vocalist throws in well-timed shrieks and howls not unlike those present in some suicidal black metal, but here they come off as closer to battle cries or screams of triumph. Some additional elements are also used. Low, thunderous explosions are sometimes added to riffs, giving a more dramatic, apocalyptic tinge to the songs. Muffled moans of despair and anguish also color the background of some of the tracks, further enhancing the music’s depressive effect.
One unfortunate consequence of the band’s emphasis on atmospherics is that some of the guitar riffing ends up seeming rather uninspired. The guitars tend to stick to fairly standard tremolo riffing for the most part, and most of the songs end up being hard to distinguish from one or another as a result. Occasionally the band will slow things down for a riff or two, creating a welcome contrast with the usual oppressive onslaught. The album as a whole thus ends up being a study in hypnotic, cold, blasting black metal, which is not necessarily a bad thing. While it’s not the greatest black metal album I’ve heard, what Battle Dagorath set out to do they certainly accomplish quite well.
