Satyricon - The Shadowthrone (1995) 9/10

Satyricon was my first contact with black metal, and The Shadowthronewas the one album that got me interested in this genré. Let’s face it, this is is a classic! The album came out when the “inner circle” of the norwegian black metal scene burned a lot of wooden churches. Satyricon was one of the bands that chose to stay away from all that, and focus on the music instead. 

It begins with Hvite Krists Død (White Christ’s Death) (8:28). This is a call out to war against 1000 years of oppression from christianity. This is, in my humble opinion, one of the best opening tracks ever. 

Track no.2, In The Mist By The Hills (8:01)  is a track where the title actually reflects the music very well.  

On to no.3, Woods To Eternity (6:13). This is another black metal masterpiece with some nice acoustic guitar playing.

No.4, Vikingland (5:15), is another one with norwegian lyrics. (You can probably find translations of the lyrics somewhere on the net). This is the sound of the norwegian landscapes. 

No.5, Dominions Of Satyricon(9:25), begins with bombastic drums and continues with some great riffing mixed with some piano. 

No.6, The King Of The Shadowthrone(6:14) is bombastic and atmospheric. It also includes some nice acoustic guitar playing fom Satyr, who plays all instrument on the album, except for the drums which are played excellently by Frost.

With a great intro like Hvite Krists Død, they had to record a great outro.  With I En Svart Kiste (In A Black Coffin) (5:24) they manage to do just that. No guitars, just keyboards. It has a norwegian, folky feeling to it.

In fact, the whole album sounds very norwegian. It’s not just the norwegian lyrics on two of the tracks. (I En Svart Kiste is an instrumental track). The cold feeling is the sound of the norwegian mountains, if that makes any sense. What strikes me when I hear this album is firstly; that the band consists of two musicians. And secondly; I could never, in my wildest imagination, when I heard it for the first time back in the mid-90′s, picture the success they would have. Being the first black metal to be signed to a major company is quite an achievement. And all of this without becoming sell-outs. They do what they want. And, in my book, that’s the only thing that matters.