Back to the Abyss

Ah Greece, when will you ever stop to amaze me with all the talent and great music you keep churning out? Another pretty newish example of this comes in form of this infernal duo, aptly named Infernal Throne. They play kind a mix of crunchy thrash and pummeling black metal, taking some of the best elements from both worlds to give us a short yet smashing EP. “Back to the Abyss” is only 19:47 minutes long and consists of four tracks, but what a hefty dose of relentless and crushing music this is. I try to keep this review as tight and on point as the EP so let’s fly straight into the music.

The end result comes with a heavy focus on high-voltage riffs, catchy chords and disturbing harmonies, all designed to grab you and don’t let you go before the EP has finished. The atmosphere created by the lead harmonies is outstanding. The guitar playing is especially impressive here. Highly technical, sometimes even slightly progressive with noticeable blackened elements, but also melodic at the same time, nevertheless carrying traditional thrash metal elements at the core, all melded with a lush fluidity and dark haunting melody.

The dynamic of the EP can be addicting at its best, being crushing and subtly melodic on one side and sinister and ecstatic on the other. The constant interaction between the driving and chugging main chords and the energy fueled lead guitar is often breathtaking. All four songs are downright infectious to experience, as the venom works its way through your ears into your brain with astonishing speed, and it’s with each successive song that Infernal Throne impress the listener. Some small details could easily be missed during the first listen, but some more spins will make you realize some clever songwriting skills.

The drumming is straight-forward and while there are a lot of faster double-beat sections and a lot of details like fills or rhythm changes to highlight certain parts it never feels nervous or overly chaotic. The two lads have put a lot of emphasis on presenting stringent songs and a nicely short mini album. While the instrumentation is top notch personal egos have to take a back-seat with the songs being put front and center. Combining the straight-forward catchiness of thrash metal with the epic harmonies of black metal perfectly works in the favor of Infernal Throne. Rounded off by a powerful and more or less production and an atmospheric cover “Back to the Abyss” should not be missed!