Whenever I’m going into a new album, I almost always make a point to at the very least know the style of the act that I’m getting myself into. I like being surprised but also like having at least some preconception of what I’m getting myself into. Seeing an act described as blackened death is very enticing as that typically entails a vicious attitude that permeates the entire album with a nonstop high-energy pulse to boot. Thron delivers just that with their latest offering, but it’s so much more than what I expected.

It’s usually an unbridled and primordial energy that we’re greeted with many if not most blackened death metal records as that’s simply the norm of the style, but every now and then we get a band that does things ever so slightly differently. That’s not to say that Thron has gone completely outside the box with “Abysmal” and become an entity that can be likened to acts like Esoctrilihum or Ævangelist, but there’s clearly another force at work here that brings the ten tracks of this sophomore effort above many others. And it’s something quite incredibly simple yet notoriously difficult to master: melody. It’s something we usually don’t put with blackened death but it’s with literally all of “Abysmal” that Thron gives us undeniable proof that it works, it’s fucking awesome, it sounds glorious, and is downright infectious right from the start. Thron really hit the nail right on the head with this record as there’s not one moment that isn’t engaging from the intoxicating melodies that keep you hooked the entire time to the monstrous instrumentation to the amazing vocals. It all culminates to make “Abysmal” feel incredibly organic and something that you simply can’t stop listening to as it all comes together beautifully for an experience that’s equal part mesmerizing and soul-crushing; a combination that blackened death seldom accomplishes on a scale like this. Yet, despite that, the relatively new act of Thron prove themselves already to be masters after just putting out their debut just last year. And if that’s not applause-worthy than I don’t know what is!

I’ve noticed a trend that really exceptional albums really tend to creep up on you later in the year, and this album only continues that as I was ready to be smooth sailing from here onto the end of the year, but Thron has joined the group of acts who are seemingly out to make me reconsider my year-end lists. “Abysmal” is an album that from top to bottom is one of the most entertaining blackened death experiences of its kind that I’ve heard for a while, and I can only recommend this brilliant piece in the end.

LISTEN to “Abysmal” on Bandcamp here.

LIKE Thron on Facebook here.