Thorns

Artist: Thorns
Label: Moonfog
Category: Music

Average customer rating:

Format: Import
Media: Audio CD
Number Of Discs: 1
EAN: 4029758165720
ASIN: B000059X50

Release Date: 2006-03-31

Thorns

Related Categories:

Norway

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Tracks:

Existence
World Playground Deceit
Shifting Channels
Stellar Master Elite
Underneath the Universe
Interface to God
Vortex

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Album Description

Long awaited release (10 years! In the making) for one of the most anticipated albums in the history of Black Metal. Featuring Hellhammer of Mayhem on drums, Aldrahn of DHG on vocals & Satyr from Satyricon on vocals & as co-producer. A very diverse and original album for the hard-core Black Metal fan. 2001 release.

Customer Reviews:

Unusual and interesting........2006-01-16

Thorns' self-titled debut album was a record nearly ten years in the making. After recording several well-received demos, Snørre Ruch (a former rhythm guitarist for the band Mayhem) was sentenced to 8 years in prison for his part in a rather infamous Norwegian murder scandal, but was paroled before that time was up. Taking material that he had worked on before his conviction and in collaboration with several 'important' figures in the Norwegian black metal subculture, Ruch finally had the chance to realize his musical ambitions.

In listening to this album, it's almost a stretch to call it 'black metal.' While Thorns successfully uses some of the most obvious elements of that genre, it's the industrial/electronic overtones that make this album interesting listening material. The lineup for this album includes Ruch (guitar/bass/keyboard), Hellhammer (Mayhem, Arcturus, Covenant, Kovenant, etc., drums), Satyr (Satyricon, vocals), and Aldrahn (Dødheimsgard, Zyklon-B, vocals). That said, this is still very much Ruch's creation. Tracks like 'Shifting Channels' and 'Underneath The Universe' really emphasize the electronic nature of this band, using minimalist keyboard passages to create a solid wall of ambience that the guitar plays off of. In turn, the guitar isn't particularly dependent on powerchords to provide a musical backbone (since the bass and the keyboard serve this function) and as such relies more heavily on harmonic passages that have the distinction of not sounding like stolen Iron Maiden riffs (a rare feat in modern metal).

There are three chief areas where this album is lacking. First, the production is rather thin, giving the guitar an anemic tone that makes the early Thorns demos sound thick and meaty by comparison. Second, I am left with the real feeling that some of the songs are just random collections of riffs thrown together over "intense" drumming from Hellhammer and wretched-out, distorted vocals from Satyr and Aldrahn (neither of whom I particularly like). Third, Thorns is inventive in one way, but in another, derivative of bands like Emperor, Satyricon (I guess for obvious reasons), and latter-day Enslaved. The music itself is varied enough to keep it interesting, but often really fails to go anywhere. If I were able to do so, I'd give this album a 3.5/5, but since I round up, I'll give it a 4. I'm not sure how much appeal this album will have to black metal "outsiders," but it's superior to many other albums of this type (specifically those by the Kovenant and Satyricon) and is interesting from an historical perspective.

if you like black metal then you probably own this already.......2002-05-12

but for those of you who don't yet own a copy this should become a very sought after release. My only experience with Thorns previously had been the split with Emperor as I had never heard the demo tapes from the early 90s. Regardless of past knowledge of the band this album is very polished and clean with a strong production of all the instruments and the guitar in particular having that classic black metal sound (that Thorns in part helped to create) with the treble knob turned fully clockwise it would seem. As a previous reviewer stated there are touches of industrial throughout this album, nothing as severe as Dodheimsgard did with 666 International but its present all the same helping to give the album a highly mechanical feel. This album might even appeal to people not normally interested in black metal for while it IS black metal, there is no arguement over that, it contains enough originality and strong songs to merit attention.

A veterans proper debut.......2001-08-29

You've got bashing drum-machines (plus some rare real drums handled by Hellhammer) that drive the songs ahead. You've got harsh electronice that puncture the listener with its stonecold precision. You've got the cruel vocals to Aldrahn of DHG/Dødheimsgard-fame (sadly not on all tracks, half of them are graced by the not-as-good vocals by Wongraven of Satyricon, the biggest drawback of the whole album) that throws you around like a rollercoaster. You've got the best guitar-licks I've heard in a long time. You've got intensity enough for a mental aggressive kindergarten. You've got eclectic sense in abound that is satisfying even for the discriminating connoisseur. You've got the second resurrection of intelligent black metal. Thorns should have the world by its feet. Recommended for fans of all things brutal and innovative. ****(*) on the barometer.

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