THRONUM VRONDOR – Dies Tenebrosa Sicut Nox
- Posted on 23-06-2021
The musically ferocious horde known as Thronum Vrondor is an interesting encounter and I must say that I find their bludgeoning yet nicely varied brand of highly intense black metal quite appealing. "Dies Tenebrosa Sicut Nox" is their fourth full-length and the Belgian outfit delivers their menacing, blackened message in a convincing manner. This latest batch of harsh compositions clearly shows that these guys have been at it for a number of years and know what it takes to craft relentlessly dark, blistering tunes that possess a sinister grandeur and a brooding aura of impending doom.
Fast paced and hellish but certainly not without a substantial amount of slow, gloomy passages and several crushing parts, Thronum Vrondor’s material is a thick, swirling vortex of effectively punishing riffs, epic melodies carrying a sense of turmoil and melancholy, and a deep-seated feeling of unease and abhorrence. Although the record is consistent throughout in terms of quality, the two final cuts in particular are impressive slabs of apocalyptic metal and serve as a fitting climax to the vicious musical curse, which also entails that the whole thing ends on a high note. "Cleanse This World of Filth" is utterly majestic and also the most captivating and challenging track to be found here while album closer "What Grace is There Left to Fall From?" reeks of madness, decay, and despair in a rather intriguing manner. There is something about those twisted riffs in the latter that truly stand out to me, and the lyrics are sharp and conjure a poisonous vibe of misanthropy.
One could draw parallels to MGLA, Corpus Christii, Slidhr, Kriegsmachine, Taake, and late 90s Gorgoroth now and again, but those are merely vague points of reference in case you want an idea of what to expect here. Although neither musically adventurous nor original as such, it is a solid, efficient, and cohesive piece of work that oozes substance and atmosphere throughout and it rarely loses any momentum. Recommended.