Wolves in the Throne Room - Thuja Magus Imperium

[blackowltwilight]

they are from Washington state.

[NeoXF]

WOLVES IN THE MOTHERFUCKIN' THRONE ROOM!

[lilithfaire1]

wow are these guys from alaska?

[DarknessUnresolved]

@lilithfaire1 You're joking, right?

[nightimemusic11]

I'll be playing this song tonight on my metal radio show D2.FM: DEATH TO FALSE METAL at thebirn.com!! You can listen from anywhere in the world. Tune in from 6-7 EST every Friday night for the best in the world's best genre!!

~DJ: The Devil's Advocate

[ArthurCold6]

@nightimemusic11

Death to false metal? Pfff what are you doing? Promoting the hate between metalheads for sure. I’ll pass. 

[vesh666]

i love black metal that focuses on the beauty and mysticism of nature. hail, wolves in the throne room!

[zztosha]

I got to see these guys with Ash Borer and Worm Ouroboros, it was fucking awesome. Made me appreciate what they do on the whole new level. Also, picked up this album, and can't stop listening to it.

[princesspinkky]

everytime i look ay it, i think of pot lol

[HailLuzifer]

igenious! i want more of this!

[MetalRagnaroc]

@jylebroadington Are you telling me you've never heard a woman in your life? >.>

[jylebroadington]

yo whats with the gay vocals anyway?

[jylebroadington]

@jylebroadington this aint fuckin LOTRO baby

[ImtheCauseofDeath]

My fucking god my friend was right.....BAND IS SOOO EPIC

[TheCrypticwrath]

in moment i play skyrim and read those comments haha now i also listen to WITTR while playing skyrim

[gorgogrottan]

Is the last line in the lyrics really "Beyond the darkness transcending time"? It sounds like he says "Beyond the darkness, this ancient *something*"... Could anyone with good growl decrypting skills help out?

[Kevinulla]

@gorgogrottan "Beyond the darkness this ancient path" possibly?

[Melancholymotion]

@gorgogrottan Second but last line - Beyond the mists and golden light

[zztosha]

@gorgogrottan well, in the booklet the two last lines are: "Beyond the mists and golden light, Beyond the darkness transcending time"

[sk8rcruz]

brap brap

[cloakofclouds]

I am absolutely speechless. What a work of art

[BlackBougnoule]

10 people think burzum is black metal.

[FinnishMisanthrope]

@BlackBougnoule WHAT!?!?!?!

[Behemoth221192]

@BlackBougnoule burzum is black metal u troll ;]

[geoffwoade]

@Behemoth221192 not since he went to jail

[44ky1]

@BlackBougnoule burzum is better than black metal

[wedonttastetheair]

this starts in the clouds, plunges into the ocean, spirals through some underwater canyons only to regain consciousness on a beach 11 minutes later..

[themistoklas]

this one, the Ravencult and the Craft albums....best black for this year

[Behemoth221192]

@themistoklas yeah Craft fucking owns! 

[Masevah]

Oooooohh maaaan I'm waaaaaaayy too stoned for this!

[ZiltoidiaAttaxx]

amazing!

[Ashenns]

great album but not as great as black cascade

[Melk2Man]

I know WITTR would hate this but....this song + Skyrim is amazing.

[Underournorthernstar]

@Melk2Man I'm sure they would just be happy that you enjoy their music

[gaffer060788]

@Melk2Man

I'm sure these guys probably play Skyrim.

[dajuliusss]

@gaffer060788 :

I'm sure they don't!

[Faze390]

@Melk2Man Dude, just yesterday I was listening to Two Hunters while playing Skyrim. I felt like my dick was made of steel. 

[metallicat67]

@Melk2Man Phew.. glad I'm not the only one.

[DarknessUnresolved]

@Melk2Man Man, FUCK "Skyrim"! Stupid video game bullshit!

[JustANiceLad]

@DarknessUnresolved Man, fuck EVERYTHING! Am i right? Who's with me??

[Ozma2112]

@Melk2Man enough with skyrim already.

[TheCabinRacoon]

@Melk2Man why would they hate that

[DarknessUnresolved]

@TheCabinRacoon I'm quite sure WITTR would take offense to being associated with some stupid-as video game.

[TheCabinRacoon]

@DarknessUnresolved Well then they are quite pretentious

[DarknessUnresolved]

@TheCabinRacoon Well that's arguable.

[TheCabinRacoon]

@DarknessUnresolved If I were a band, I wouldn't care

[DavidTDuncan]

This is extremely good music. There is much more colour to it than say on Two Hunters. Wow. Incredible. WITTR are top of the black metal heap today with music like this. I am so glad that they are taking the genre into new directions, beyond that of frostbitten winters and misanthropy that almost all other black metal bands can't get beyond - that adds such depth and beauty, and also great songwriting, great flow... this is simply epic. Beautiful.

[Stigmatikk]

This is great. Probably the best I've heard all year. ^^

[bahn667]

WITTR are totally fucking awesome......Agree with PerfumeCantHidePiss........Che­ck out AGALLOCH...FEN.....WINTERFYLLE­TH and WODENSTHRONE also.....Ave !

[fullMetaLxMantis]

@bahn667 wodensthrone is great, just gotten into them.

[ParisChien]

magic

[Choralseptic]

i haven't listened to black metal in the longest time and this is getting me back into it wow...

[NiceboyWilson]

Please, no more wah pedals in black metal. 5:05 - 5:22...

[dannymanic]

@NiceboyWilson no more rules in rock and roll

[anweirdo]

Oh my.

[simognr]

yeah but after I listen to this I can't see meself having normal interactions with friends and people... sorry but black metal will never work in my real life

[matternicuss]

@simognr that's a silly attitude to have about black metal. I listen to a lot of black metal and other more avant garde varieties (Deathspell Omega, Gorguts etc), and I lead a normal life. You know; friends, a good relationship with my family, and a committed relationship with my girlfriend. I'll even play the more extreme/inaccessible bands around her.

[simognr]

@matternicuss I don't know, maybe it's just me.For example, Ulver's first album is an absolute masterpiece but I just can't listen to it during a train trip or similar...

[matternicuss]

@simognr Well, it's understandable that you wouldn't want to annoy others in a public area, but I don't see why headphones would not be a viable alternative? Yes, Bergtatt is a very special album. I dunno, in the summer I pass people in my car with my windows rolled down and I'll have early Cryptopsy or Behemoth playing...I might get a funny look or two, but I find it rather amusing;)

[Illnathftfw]

@simognr that's the most retarded thing I've ever heard.

[PerfumeCantHidePiss]

@simognr Pussy.

[simognr]

@PerfumeCantHidePiss Possy

[ExaggeratedCool]

I dont like this kind of music at all, but the moment he started growling I got these fuckin shivers. So cool.

[sequential9]

Great, their influences have not eclipsed their creativity...

[TheButterflyAutopsy]

this is better than their old songs more powerful and more clean

[Drobanybody]

Magic mushroom black metal that simply carries me awaaayyy!

[mantra3000]

Okay this is superb.

[malteadotas4]

The best american Black Metal I've heard.

[PerfumeCantHidePiss]

@malteadotas4 Have you heard of Judas Iscariot,Leviathan,I Shalt Become,Or Xasthur?

[malteadotas4]

@PerfumeCantHidePiss yeah, they're good don't get me wrong but Wolves in the Throne Room are something special

[PerfumeCantHidePiss]

@bexigah Xasthur is better than electronica.

[nonickworks]

i love the part that beginns at 4:33 soooooooo damn awesome <3

[BoyDharma]

Never could get into black metal, love me some metal but could never get the growling. However, this works plus the music is so expansive and just draws you in....more please.

[andrewalmarine]

Let us fly, my brethren!



[Migas128]

im back again ihih love this piece of art

[NightmareRoute]

What is it about this artwork.... there's something about it. I mean it just appears to be rocks and coral but you get the feeling there is something more to it, something deep down that is hidden from us. I find myself looking at it for ages.

[schliiifts]

@NightmareRoute i feel exactly the same!

[cjcookie]

@NightmareRoute i thought it was a tree stump and a ghostly figure

[xVxxxGhostxxxVx]

@NightmareRoute cool bro

[RyNDonLE]

@NightmareRoute I see the face of a screaming baby in the middle.

[doggyhand12]

@NightmareRoute That's exactly what a good painting should do, as should good music :)

[Phantomyca]

Great job!

Greetz from Zagreb,Croatia:)

Ana

[bob1987ify]

The slow guitar leads over the drone reminds me a lot of Drudkh. Awsome stuff.

[MurdoctheMaiden]

I'm not a great fan of metal, but this is one of the best tracks I've heard in a while.

[Migas128]

i wanna go back to the days when religious bastard killed witches...so i could stop them, so now the world would have been full of goths and stuff instead of annoying pimps made of 85% weed and 15% flesh and bones..

[stclair120]

I don't even listen to this type of music and I love this. My God. Just incredible.

[Superstrings]

New Wolves = best day ever. Next day. Listening the same new Wolves song = best day ever.

[wolvslair666]

Really nice intro, and it's not that BOOM to the main stuff... it's so homogenic. Pretty impressive band!

[vacuumnoise]

5:23 is amazing!

[Daniboya7x]

orgasmic

[XavierGoncalves89]

possibly the best black metal album i've ever heard

[pbmdh]

@XavierGoncalves89

Try Two Hunters by them, IMO it's much better than this. I like this album, but it just doesn't compare to the earlier work they have done.

[alfgart]

This song is a masterpiece

[SmurfAndBuffalo]

I'm not a big fan of all of this death metal stuff, i'd rather listen to ome Stanley Getz or Frank Sinatra. But this....this...blew my mind! Really inventive band, more melodic than harcore really. Thank YOU metacritic. :)

[MasterExploder61]

@SmurfAndBuffalo It's black metal, not death metal. (atmospheric black to be exact).

[matthewdarklord]

@MasterExploder61 genres are for marketers, stop this "atmospheric" nonsense unless you're trying to sell some post rock to some teenagers

[MasterExploder61]

@matthewdarklord I was just correcting somebody, so I don't see how this would concern you.

[alxsmth12]

@matthewdarklord I agree, genres help marketers but as far as the fan is concerned I do actually think they are quite helpful for a) explaining to other people what kind of sound a band has when u don't have access to listening to it on the spot and b) when u like a band and their style and you are trying to find other similar bands....

[JohnNettles11]

@SmurfAndBuffalo this is not death metal. this is black metal. learn the difference.

[SmurfAndBuffalo]

@JohnNettles11

Whoops, sorry. I knew that, I just got it wrong. I could've sworn I wrote black metal.

[alxsmth12]

@JohnNettles11 Ok genre monkey so its black metal, fair play inform @SmurfAndBuffalo he is mistaken but is 'learn the difference' really necessarily, can you not just be helpful to your fellow music fan rather than rude as ****? @MasterExploder61 managed it..... I feel bad that @SmurfAndBuffalo actually felt obliged to apologize to you!

[vinterkrig1945]

PERFECT!!

[LionsToTheChristians]

I'm not really a fan of black metal because a lot of bands try to be "brutal" or "hardcore" but this band is amazing. They just make great music and don't really care about their image. More bands should do that.

[dragonoforigin]

FUCKING BITCH !!! WOLVES IN THE THRONE ROOM HAVE A NEW TRANSCENDANT ALBUM !!!! I will be mad ! HO GOD ! I NEED IT !

[pbmdh]

Not as impressed as I thought I would be with this album. Two Hunters is still my favorite.

[greenbile1960]

I'm so sick of people putting down certain music on this site. If you don't like it go elsewhere and listen to what you do like. These guys have been in my top 3 favorite bands for awhile now and this new LP will keep them there for sure. This song is awesome. So many influences melded into one. Wicked stuff.

[Colbystrns]

Gonna buy the album ASAP, because this is the work of gods

[Metaalhoofdje123]

I can't help but feel they've been listening to Master Musicians Of Bukkake with these jingles at the beginning and the percussion at the end. Sounds like Totem Two.

[merdammuffita]

"celestiale"

[CerebralArchitect]

Seriously don't get the hate Celestial Lineage has been getting some places; how is this a re-tread of Two Hunters? It's like they took that blueprint and improved upon it... this right here is fantastic. Loving the lead guitar work during the first heavy part

[we5tcoast]

theyre best album for sure... i love how Wolves is one of those bands that get better with each album

[TheHuntress144]

i love the ethereal female vocals, it's interesting and different. why so many complaints? this is hot shit!

[ericmsandoval]

Thanks for uploadin all these tracks, bra

[alucardisdumb]

well this is my first time listening to this band.

surprized at the sheer amount of yawn. =/

[TheRioterKiss]

awesome!

[TheJim93]

so good just follow your way guys good luck

[immortalx50]

Well, to be honest, I didn't expect an American black metal band to sound that good. They are talented gentlemen.

[addictedtometal69]

@immortalx50 Listen to Demoncy or Havohej. Those bands rape the shit out of these hippies.

[SlavicIn3D]

@addictedtometal69 those bands are great, but you can not compare apple to orange...

[IndubitablyMe1988]

@addictedtometal69 And the most pretentious(and retarded) comment of the day award goes to....

[addictedtometal69]

@IndubitablyMe1988 I feel like Eric Cartman. Honestly though, if it wasn't for their ego injection and anti-black metal stance, I'd be a way bigger fan of WITTR. I don't want to support people that make an effort to philosophically degrade what I love, even when they bear an uncanny sonic resemblance. Support war, hatred and human extinction. Smoke crack and worship Satan!

[tehrapeyturtle]

@addictedtometal69 If this is a joke, you are a genius. If this is serious, you are a moron.



[addictedtometal69]

@tehrapeyturtle Its a serious joke, or maybe, I was being jokingly serious.

In all seriousness, I agree with much of their "hippy" philosophy, but I think they overplay it. Black metal is supposed to be mysterious and leave guess work. You're supposed to have to ask yourself "are they being serious or is this just shock value?". WITTR gives it all away too easily.

[IndubitablyMe1988]

@addictedtometal69 Im glad they don't support orthodow black metal, because orthodox black metal is as mindless as Christianity. Grown men running around' in chain-male and corpse paint, worshipping satan, and wasting their breath explaining how much more "kvlt their music is than so and so's. Its fucking retarded, and goes against everthing black metal originally stood for. Fuck war, constructive hate is benefitial, and human extinction is inevitable. Fuck Satan. Think for yourself.f

[addictedtometal69]

@IndubitablyMe1988 Psuedonyms and corpse paint are a form of ego death. Don't take oneself seriously, only ones actions. Satan is a metaphor for a divine darkness and chaos, which is the way reality is. The early Norwegian scene was a bunch of kids trying to do metal differently. Some were following the crowd, others were truly enlightened. Most of it was by accident. What they built and envisioned, although they called it "evil" was beautiful. Musically, WITTR captures that.

[addictedtometal69]

@IndubitablyMe1988 But they present themselves as being to "down to earth" to really wholly have that disconnect from "normal" reality that makes black metal possible.

[IndubitablyMe1988]

@addictedtometal69 Its music bro, nothing more. Sonically they fall within the realm of Black Metal, but the similarities stop there. WITTR do not claim to be black metal, nor do they claim to follow the philosophies and ideologies of early black metal artists. It is you who are lumping them in with the orthodox black metal scene, so in reality your comparing apples to oranges... er, more like lemons to limes... maybe.

[IndubitablyMe1988]

@addictedtometal69 Its music bro, nothing more. Sonically they fall within the realm of Black Metal, but the similarities stop there. WITTR do not claim to be black metal, nor do they claim to follow the philosophies and ideologies of early black metal artists. It is you who are lumping them in with the orthodox black metal scene, so in reality your comparing apples to oranges... er, more like lemons to limes... maybe.

[addictedtometal69]

@IndubitablyMe1988 Actually, in their neotraditionalist message, they're more similar to many "orthodox" bands than you'd think. Very few norse bands were explicitly satanic. Most followed some sort of occult spirituality, or traditional religion. They just called themselves "LHP" and Satanic because christians did. It suprises me WITTR doesn't get this, but I guess it took me a long time to realize it too. They only have a partial understanding of the whole.

[IndubitablyMe1988]

@addictedtometal69 WITTR do get this. I've read past interviews with them. The more "orthodox" black metal bands are a parady of what black metal initially was, creating rules of what is and what isn't black metal, which is exactly what the first wave bands, such as Venom and Bathory, did not want. The spiritual, or lack thereof, aspect was simply lyrical material. Their main goal was liberation from popular music. WITTR have done this better than most, as orthodox BM is now the norm.

[L1ving3legy]

@addictedtometal69 Go fight a war and tell me how it goes for you.

[addictedtometal69]

@L1ving3legy I'm sorry, but I don't really feel like working for exxon mobile, I'm not muslim so I can't defect and join the other side, and I lack the credentials to join a security firm or freelance, then go on a shooting spree on both sides(taliban and US. No civilians). The French Foreign Legion is kinda pussy and doesn't really fight in wars, and I'm not Jewish and never will be, so joining the Israeli army is a no go. It would be kinda cool though. Risking your life is the greatest thrill.

[addictedtometal69]

@L1ving3legy But I don't get the point of this, because I was speaking about it objectively as a depopulation agent. Appealing to my emotions is subjective, irrelevant and makes you look both stupid and like you haven't read my other posts.

[L1ving3legy]

@addictedtometal69 Your very existence, unless you are planning suicide or enlistment, is inconsistent with your beliefs, regardless of how "objective" you claim them to be. I'm not attempting to appeal to your emotions, I'm simply trying to direct you towards a vocation that enables you to practice your ideology. The army would gladly make use of your "love" of hatred, war, and human extinction as a tool to further their leader's political agenda.

[SharksInTheGenePool]

Early days yet, but so far this sounds like the best black metal CD I've heard since Deathspell Omega's Paracletus (which is madness done to perfection). WiTTR is a special band, and not just in the black metal genre.

[Sjel]

Pretty good music, only the crashes are way too loud and they spoil everything...

[SamritpalSingh]

This is one of the few bands that consistently never disappoint their fans. Massive massive band that carries this genre.

[Themgoroth616]

i was hoping for more

this is just generic.

[ImpDarkness]

Amazing.

[generalfuckpants]

It's like the calm before the storm....like the voice of an angel telling you goodbye before Cthulhu comes through a black hole in the universe and assfucks you to the sound of Five Finger Death Punch.

[CornadaTV]

@generalfuckpants No offense but why would you even mention that terrible band on a WITTR vid?

[generalfuckpants]

@CornadaTV Problem?

[ggalexhutchings]

@CornadaTV i think the point of the comment now that i've read it is that he was trying to express an experience of extreme torture. i.e. getting buttfucked by a giant squid/octopus thing. for a similarly painful soundtrack, you'd be getting buttfucked while listening to a band that is as painful to listen to as it is to get buttfucked by a giant squid/octopus thing. ffdp.

[Hrimthur666]

Holy Shit... Got a boner at 08:10.... Weird!

[Hrimthur666]

WitTR... nothing more to say! Art in perfection!

[insidethefall78]

Fucking incredible, most black metal bands today have no atmosphere or are simply clones with boring songwriting. WiTTR keep things very interesting, love the abundance of keyboards on this album and the slightly better production which only enhances the music.

[AltonDowns]

Thism

[KshatriyaHellas]

Well... It's incredible. Pure inspiration.

Two people who disliked this simply shouldn't listen to this band.

[gaffer060788]

This whole album is so epic.

[bennybagofdonuts]

Wow, really loving this. May end up grabbing this album when it comes out.

[hauntedshore204]

I should wait to hear the whole album, butThanks for the sample

[UnholyGleam]

Well, I hope there will be better songs on the album, doesn't seem that this release will top their older ones.

[zarucarsha]

@UnholyGleam I'm hoping for a bit of the same. I know they they've changed their style a little, but I'm hoping that there's a bit more "cascadian" influence on the rest of the record than there was present on this song.

[iolson1990]

Finally...This is how 'I have always hoped Wolves in the Throne Room would sound.

[decembertwilight1225]

the last two albums were very important parts of my life.. i see that this one shall have a similar affect

[decembertwilight1225]

the last two albums were very important parts of my life.. i see that this one shall have a similar affect

[belfagor1980]

This is visionary... beyond words