BLOOD RED THRONE – Nonagon

RELEASE YEAR: 2024

BAND URL: https://www.facebook.com/BloodRedThroneOfficial

https://bloodredthrone.bandcamp.com/music

I’m going to go on the record and say something this review will prove beyond reasonable doubt: if you don’t like Blood Red Throne you don’t like death metal. Blood Red Throne (BRT) is a band whose music I know intimately thanks to their main founder and one of the most underrated guitarist in metal, Daniel “Død” Olaisen who, along with Terje Vik “Tchort” Schei created this Norwegian death metal ensemble after leaving Satyricon in 1998. At the risk of contradicting myself in conjunction with my opening sentence, I must admit that I’m not all too familiar with their first 3 records: Monument Of Death²⁰⁰¹, Affiliated With The Suffering²⁰⁰³, Altered Genesis²⁰⁰⁵, but my journey with BRT started with the excellent Souls Of Damnation²⁰⁰⁹, a record considered a classic among death metal maniacs and even, by many, considered their magnum opus. It was my pleasure to have met Død (who is a prolific guitarist in the groove metallers Zerozonic, AOR ockers Big City and even releases solo albums) via e-mail, who then sent me a few of his CDs which had inspired, and became the ET Daniel Olaisen review series. True, due to my, at the time, very hectic and sloppy exposure to some of BRT albums (Brutalitarian Regime²⁰¹¹, Union Of Flesh And Machine²⁰¹⁶) I have written things I’m not particularly proud of but refuse to have erased in order to be mindful of the power we, reviewers, often underestimate and were given for building up, and not for tearing down (2 Corinthians 10:8, REV.) While I still consider those particular albums inferior to what came after, I have since recognized their value in the death metal canon as well as have changed my evaluation procedures to include mandatory 4 exposures before writing a review. Thanks to that, well, repentance, I was able to fully appreciate Fit to Kill²⁰¹⁹ and Imperial Congregation²⁰²¹ and give them both a fair assessement here and here which brings me to the present, which is an unprecedented quantum leap into the future of the band as well as the death metal genre.

I am now uniquely privileged to introduce the latest album by BRT, Nonagon²⁰²⁴, released on January 26th via, presumably BRT’s own (based on track “Soulseller” off of their epinymous²⁰¹³ album,) Soulseller Records, (if I’m not mistaken) the first concept album in their discography. Sure, listening from Monument Of Death²⁰⁰¹ through Come Death²⁰⁰⁷ you may pick up general concepts of death, suffering, creation, damnation etc. but also notice that not all songs strictly conform to it (for instance, lyrically Brutalitarian Regime²⁰¹¹ is all over the place but generally it’s all about sadists.) But never before was every song subservient to the concept as on Nonagon²⁰²⁴, including the specific number of tracks (as well as, interestingly without prior intention, 9 paragraphs of this review.) Therefore, before we dive deeply into the aspect most readers of this are concerned about, the music, it is necessary that we address this concept, a concept, it will be repeated, not particularly new in metal, but probably never as thoroughly exposed as on this, BRT’s 11th full length installment.

As becomes evident from the title track’s lyrics, the nine tracks represent the 9 circles of hell from Dante Alighieri’s “Inferno” which is part of the “Divine Comedy“, a completely fictional and unbiblical tale that, nevertheless inspired, informed and solidified much of the doctrine of the Roman Catholic Church. Why did Dante Alighieri write it? Perhaps he wanted to ridicule the Church (who still had power to burn him at the stake) without getting in trouble, perhaps he wanted to give people a fairer God than the one who would just throw every sinner in the same place of everlasting burning…alive, in any case, he merely exchanged one unbiblical idea for another. I think what becomes clear by studying Dante’s “Inferno” is how, still, fundamentally unfair God is to some people (hint: circle 1.) According to Dante, there are 9 circles of hell (something even many Protestants, some of whom I personally met, believe) where sinners are tormented by demons according to their sins. Thought.Co describes them after Dante as follows: 1. Limbo – where those who never knew Christ, such as “I guess should have known enough to construct a time machine” Socrates, Ovid or Homer, exist, 2. Lust – a place for people like Achilles, Paris, Tristan, Cleopatra and Dido, 3. Gluttony – for overindulgent ordinary folk, 4. Greed – for people who hoarded or squandered their money, 5. Anger – where Dante and Virgil, his companion confront the Furies, 6. Heresy – for people who rejected religious and political norms, such as Farinata degli Uberti, Epicurus, Pope Anastasius II and Emperor Frederick II, 7. Violence – where most violent people are kept in 3 rings: the outer (violent against people and property, like Atilla “God’s Scourge” The Hun), middle (where those who commit violence against themselves, such as suicide, dwell perpetually eaten by harpies), and inner (blasphemers, or those who are violent against God and nature, such as Dante’s mentor, Brunetto Latini, a sodomite as well as those who blasphemed not just against God but also the gods, such as Capaneus, who blasphemed against Zeus,) 8. Fraud – those who consciously and willingly commit fraud among whom are: panderers; seducers; flatterers; simoniacs (those who sell ecclesiastical preferment); sorcerers; barrators (corrupt politicians); schismatics (those who separate religions to form new ones); and alchemists, all kept in torment in Malebolge (“Evil Pockets”), which houses ten separate bolgias or ditches. 9. Treachery – for the worst kind of sinners, where Satan himself resides, and is further divided into 4 rounds: Caina, a. for traitors of the family like Cain, b. Antenora for political and national traitors like Antenor of Troy, the betrayer of Greeks, c. Ptolomaea for hosts who betray their guests like Ptolemy, son of Abubus, who had invited Simon Maccabaeus and his sons to dinner and then murdered them, d. Judecca, solely for Judas Iscariot, the betrayer of Jesus Christ (“Dante’s Inferno: A Guide to the 9 Circles of Hell”.)

It would perhaps be cooler if Blood Red Throne subtitled each track with the corresponding ring, but, then again, Christian metalcorers’ Zao did that already (though only up to the 5th circle) on the excellent Liberate Te Ex Inferis¹⁹⁹⁹ (Save Yourself From Hell), so why plagiarize. Besides, the lyrics really correspond already to each circle in such a way that they seem like stock death metal gore to someone who doesn’t grasp the concept. This way BRT appeals to both: 1. the regular death metal afficionado who doesn’t even bother with lyrics or actually likes them very violent, and 2. those who look for deep meaning even in death metal, and, on both accounts, credit to BRT for making it ambiguous on the surface and clearer upon closer inspection. It reminds me of those who listen to spiritual teachers and then divide into two camps: those who leave to never return and those who follow the former thirsty for more and who seek clarity on what they’ve already heard, those who have eyes to see and ears to hear (Matthew 13:9-16.)

If such a sprawling concept (the discussion of which took a creation of the longest paragraph in reviewing history) what manner of music would have to be written to match it? The concept, again, isn’t knew, we can quote the aforementioned Zao or Derrick Greene Sepultura with Dante XXI²⁰⁰⁶, or even the most recent Revocation work, Netheheaven²⁰⁰² (which, as good as I described it here and bearing some similarity to Nonagon²⁰²⁴ is not quite on par with it.) As a follower of Christ, I enjoy when people who have no interest in adhering to my beliefs, nevertheless, write about them every which way, and that to great music. Heck, I can even imagine blood red throne to be the throne of Christ as much as Dave Mustaine’s partial explanation of Megadeth as “one for all” death Christ endured and I don’t think BRT members would hate me much for thinking that way.

Accordingly, in my view, if “Inferno” is the subject then the music Daniel & Co created perfectly matches it. The riffs, the melodies and the vocals (courtesy of the only update in lineup since the predecessor, Deception’s Sindre Wathne Johnsen) actually imitate the demons, the screams of the consigned or condemned, express the injustice of some of their plight while confirm the justice for other offenders, and even parody, much like Dante, if not more, some of the judgment. In my review of the very good Imperial Congregation²⁰²¹, I had “a little concern for the way some of the Chimairan groove can dominate in tracks” (nevertheless, “Conquered Malevolence” still one of my all time favorite BRT tracks) and that, indeed, could only partially serve the greater purpose of Nonagon ²⁰²⁴. In fact, Død is much more restrained here in terms of flashy solos, not that there aren’t any (Epitaph Inscribed, Every Silent Plea, Blade Eulogy) but even solos only serve the song in his seamless co-operation with fellow guitarist Ivan “Meathook” Gujic in the interest of creating buldozers of the most crushing riffs the thickest strings can conceive, which shows Død’s humility and discipline not many guitar masters possess, (well, it does remind me of Megadeth’s Marty Friedman’s restraint on the excellent Youthanasia¹⁹⁹⁴.) Another aspect in difference to pretty much everything that had come before Nonagon²⁰²⁴ is something that actually angered some reviewers like Angry Metal Guy: packing more into 4 minutes other bands pack into 10, which I actually find wonderful, as it shows that BRT understand the truth about death metal: because it’s extreme it has to be catchy, but because it’s death metal it has to constantly ebb and flow to remain catchy and interesting, which, interestingly, does not prevent repetition of the catchiest riffs or melodies. This would hardly be possible with a weak section so Stian “Gunner” Gundersen (bass) and Freddy Bolsø (drums) both work as hard as if their very existence were at stake (title track’s ending the best case in point.) Exit the one to two riff excursions on Imperial Congregation²⁰²¹ (Inferior Elegance, Consumed Illusion) enter “Deal Or Die” (from Fit To Kill²⁰¹⁹,) “Imperial Congregation” (the song), “Conquered Malevolence” or “Zarathustra” as blueprints for what becomes possible in every single doggone track. This absolutely revolutionary approach to songwriting for BRT reminds me very strongly of Monstrosity’s two recent fantastic records: The Passage Of Existence²⁰¹⁸ (I reviewed here) and Spiritual Apocalypse²⁰⁰⁷ and I wouldn’t be surprised if Død and company abundantly drew inspiration from them for this record.

Unlike in the past, it becomes incredibly difficult to pick a favorite but the opener “Epitaph Inscribed”, “Ode To The Obscene”, “Tempest Sculptor” (that early riff Slayer wish they had written), the nominee for the sexiest riff on the album which is somewhat based on Pantera’s “Living Through Me: Hell’s Wrath”, “Split Tongue Sermon” (Circle 7, could be about the special kind of blasphemers, all these so called teachers and preachers “in Christ” on Sunday morning TV who whore around with corrupt “divine right of kings” politicians and best friend forever world’s biggest dictators, loose “born again” prostitutes and consume massive amounts of alcohol and dope while molesting teenagers and children between Monday and Saturday in the confines of their dens, especially on the Sabbath) and the much maligned by Angry Metal Guy for being too long, the magnificent practical Symbolic¹⁹⁹⁵ tribute that is the closer “Fleshrend”.

Now, I believe all of the above could not have been accomplished had BRT just stuck stringently to death metal, so, instead, excursions to thrash as in “Seeking To Pierce, “Every Silent Plea”, (formerly known as Latrodectus,) where that Panteric slowdown makes me think how deathly Pantera’s music was (Use Your Third Arm, Death Rattle?), trips to, mostly Lamb Of Godly, groove on the title track and “Blade Eulogy” (but check out Machine Head’s “Blood Of Zodiac” riffing in “Fleshrend”,) journeys even to deathcore (Tempest Sculptor) plus several times I hear the BAM! tribute to slam! (“Every Silent Plea” the most memorable example.) And, all the while, you hear evidence of just having fun in the studio (while recording a dead serious death metal album with a dead serious subject based on a…comedy,) be it by throwing in a computer-like solo followed by a spoken word (Split Tongue Sermon) or addressing other songs in their catalogue (the main riff in “Ode To The Obscene” a sister to “Imperial Congregation”, the long solo of “Conquered Malevolence” brother to a shorter one on “Blade Eulogy”.) And the sound, ladies and gents, the SOUND, if it could, it would raise Chuck Schuldiner from the grave with perseverance, if you catch my drift. In fact, listen to “Ode To The Obscene” and Death’s “Story To Tell” back to back and tell me you don’t hear the same power! (helps, of course, that Death is Død’s no. 1.) However, Ronnie Björnström, who produced and mixed Nonagon²⁰²⁴, should feel free to high five not just Jim Morris but also Jens Bergen and Andy Sneap simultaneously.

In fruitless search of flaws on this masterpiece I managed to merely identify characteristics that initially raise concerns but quickly are either revealed as strengths or to simply serve the aforementioned greater purpose. For example, with 9 tracks at 42:29, Nonagon²⁰²⁴ is shorter than both immediate predecessors: Imperial Congregation²⁰²¹ (10 tracks at 45:53) and Fit to Kill²⁰¹⁹ (9 tracks at 49:01) so it stands to reason that it does feel a little short but of note is the fact that Symbolic¹⁹⁹⁵, a major influence here, although longer, also had 9 tracks and the last was the longest, something that seems to hearken back also to Fit to Kill²⁰¹⁹. But so what and who cares? There’s no denying the fact and bears repeating after Død (in my private e-mail exchange with him) that Nonagon²⁰²⁴ is hands down their best and most cohesive album that should usher them finally and well-deservedly into the big leagues of death metal, an honor they were denied for so long. In fact, I hereby declare it a classic death metal record. If anyone ever asked me to summarize death metal I’d answer: Blood Red Throne’s Nonagon²⁰²⁴. You will see that, sooner or later, people will second me on that, but you heard it here first. So, with full confidence in my conviction I conclude: if you don’t like Blood Red Throne you don’t like death metal!