Blood Red Throne – Nonagon Review
By Dr. A.N. Grier
Three years ago, Blood Red Throne released a behemoth in the form of Imperial Congregation. After dozens of listens, it proves it’s one of the band’s greatest achievements. Fast forward to 2024, and they’re back with their eleventh LP, Nonagon. Continuing where they left off, Nonagon is a destructive motherfucker that incorporates the butchery of Panzerchrist, the relentless riffage of Old Man’s Child, and the melodic subtleties of Hypocrisy. But, no matter what’s sprinkled throughout, Nonagon remains 100% BRT. However, the thing most different about this new album is the vocalist. After contributing to four full-lengths, Yngve “Bolt” Christiansen is out, and in his place is Deception’s Sindre Wathne Johnsen. The result is more vocal diversity as Johnsen likes to flex those blackened rasps. But those concrete-cracking barks and gutturals Bolt is famous for remain—continuing to add a sinister color to BRT’s output. With a new singer in tow, can BRT continue the streak set by Fit to Kill and Imperial Congregation? Or are the treads beginning to come off the tracks?
As the name might suggest, Nonagon consists of nine songs of Norwegian death metal. What might not be apparent is that each track represents a level of hell from Dante’s Inferno. But this theme only translates in the music and album structure. According to founding member Død, the vocals are very much the band’s, leaving you to interpret the meaning behind them. With this knowledge, I venture into the underworld with Virgil leading the way as the devastation increases at each level until I arrive at Cocytus. Or so I hope, as this is quite the theme to encapsulate a death metal album. And for it to fall flat on its face would be the worst thing possible. Well, minus that whole sliding down Lucifer only to stop and peer at his massive dick and balls.
But instead of easing into the first layer, Nonagon gets going in a hurry. “Epitaph Inscribed” is one of the better songs on the album, beginning with an eerie introduction that erupts into a rasping scream and killer riff. While nothing new to the band, the overlapping rasps and barks are far more advanced than previous releases. These add another layer to the barrage delivered by the combined efforts of bass, drums, and guitars. Others that hit the mark in wildly different ways are “Tempest Sculptor” and the title track. “Tempest Sculptor” is a classic BRT piece with machine gun tremolos that settle into a tasty, headbangable groove. While there’s variety in the riff changes and a melodic interlude, this beast is a constant driver that never lets up. My favorite moment is when the bass comes to the surface and sets the song up for its next bludgeoning. “Nonagon” is a slow-paced cruiser with some interesting moments that remind me of At the Gates while others recall Amon Amarth. It’s a straightforward piece that keeps to its guns and delivers a pleasing and addictive performance.
Unfortunately, there are a few areas on Nonagon that I struggle with. The first is the nearly seven-minute closer, “Fleshrend.” While there’s absolutely no shortage of riffs, that’s part of the problem. The track is an endless slew of riff changes. And when it feels like it’s about to build to its climax, it changes directions again. After all the insanity and wild guitar skills, it concludes without delivering the uppercut I was hoping for. In contrast, “Blade Eulogy” takes all its various riff changes and, somehow, makes it work by melding them neatly into a memorable and returnable song. As for “Split Tongue Sermon,” its more-than-capable addition to Nonagon is flatlined by a dreadful electronic solo and spoken-word segment toward the end.
Nonagon is still a strong album and in no way a bad record. It’s just not at the same level as Imperial Congregation. Typically, a killer BRT album grabs me on the first listen, but Nonagon took a while to absorb. Much of that is due to the urge to shove every goddamn riff available into these nine tracks. As I mentioned, a few of these songs could have been better with a little more restraint and a bit more memorability. The other is that, while many of the top songs are belligerently badass, few meet the standards set by songs like Imperial Congregation’s “Itika” and “Consumed Illusion.” That said, Nonagon isn’t a misstep in the band’s catalog. It’s just different, as the focus is on a concept that requires flow and overlap between songs instead of a face-punching display of unchecked wiolence. All this to say, there’s no reason why fans won’t enjoy this new record. It just falls a tad short of the monster that is Imperial Congregation but it still finds the band crushing their performances with a solid mix to boot.
Rating: 3.0/5.0
DR: 7 | Format Reviewed: 320 kb/s mp3
Label: Soulseller Records | Bandcamp1
Websites: bloodredthrone.bandcamp.com2 | bloodredthrone.com | facebook.com/bloodredthroneofficial
Releases Worldwide: January 26th, 2024
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