Blood Red Throne – Nonagon (Review)

This is the eleventh album from Blood Red Throne, a death metal band from Norway.

Containing 43 minutes of burly, crushing material, Blood Red Throne’s latest delivers an exemplar of classic death metal mastery. Nonagon feels both old-school and fresh, giving it a timeless vibe that I find much of the best death metal has.

The songs on Nonagon are well-written and repeatedly hit the spot until there’s nothing left of it. Packed to the brim with bone shaking riffs, punishing drums, macabre melody, and tight songcraft, Nonagon really is a very enjoyable record.

This is the first album with the band’s new vocalist, (also in Deception), and I have to say I like his voice very much. Just as capable when tearing out scathing blackened screams as the monstrously aggressive growls, this is a singer who knows how to use his voice. All aspects of Nonagon are well-performed and executed though, not just the formidable vocals. Two aspects deserve specific attention, both related to the guitars. The first is the riffs and rhythms. These are murderously effective and unleashed with the sort of crunchy punch that levels buildings. The second is the use of melody throughout the album. It’s typically not used overtly or as the main element, but when it is let off the leash it usually bites down far harder than you might expect.

All of the above, (and more – some killer guitar solos and an effective use of bass at key moments, for example), have been pressed into the service of nine extremely enjoyable and engaging tracks that just get better over time. Blood Red Throne know their style well and know how to craft solid death metal tunes, and Nonagon is full of the things.

This is a great death metal album, as simple as that. No frills, no filler, no pointless interludes or intros or any of that nonsense. Nope, all you get with Nonagon is a collection of high quality death metal songs. What more could you possibly want?

Essential listening for fans of acts such as Cannibal Corpse, Undeath, Vader, Hate Eternal, Hour of Penance, Severe Torture, Vile, Deicide, Torture Rack, The Black Dahlia Murder, and the like.