I have followed the development of this project via an online music platform; this is the debut full-length release by Indiana residents that originally was conceived as a solo project by Tucker Thomasson (vocals and guitar) the night after the death of Manilla Road’s Mark Shelton. So there’s one mention, I can also mention buzzwords and band names to get you enticed, obviously the aforementioned and Visigoth is a major influence in Throne of Iron’s sound. You now who where this release is going.
The vocals sound distant with a lot of reverb, which works well. ‘A Call to Adventure’ makes an opening statement, adding a touch of humour to the mix. The next one, ‘Past the Doors of Death’ is a major foundation. There is power, prowess and quality. The key change towards the end does not have a desired effect on myself, but there is notable things to get excited about. The whole album seems comfortable, not flashy, not virtuoso, its meat and potatoes metal with an epic battle feel. One of my favourite tunes is ‘The Power of Will’. This is relatively short, snappy, and excellent to sing along too. This is truly written for the stage, I love this one. The tempo and bravado still stimulates for ‘Lichspire’, which musically, is probably the most competent and vigorous for the release. ‘The Fourth Battle of the Ash Plains’ and ‘The Allure of Silver’ continue to breathe energy and life into the tunes. There is an unwavering modern and vintage sound throughout, I mentioned the reverb vocals, well it is consistent and with a modern instrumental sound results in the merging of old and new.
Overall, this is a welcome addition to the sub-genre and metal field in general. The overall stance is solid; there are elements of the production that could be improved in order to beef up the sound, but that’s simply a mode for improvement, what we have here is very good in its own right. The energy and the quality is consistent and there are no mere filler tracks. It’s a genuine metal release for those enthralled with battle and the style of “epic” metal that some of their peers produce. I think this band will have a promising future, especially in Europe, but hopefully much farther afield. Roll on Adventure Two!
(8/10 Paul Maddison)
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