Year: 2021
Total Time: 1:00:23
Label: Van Records
THYRATHEN is the new proposition in the already acclaimed domestic Hellenic Black Metal sound, being the brain child of JACKAL’S TRUTH drummer Corax and KAWIR guitarist AZ with valuable help in the narrations from Stefan Necroabyssious of VARATHRON and Alexander of MACABRE OMEN.
From the first moment it is obvious that the record tries to be based on an ancient Greek drama with many references to the ancient Greek tragedy with passages among others, if I am not mistaken, from Euripides’ “Bacchies” and the always relevant “Antigone” by Sophocles which manages all these years to make every sane person shudder. In this effort they employ ancient wind instruments, lyre, choirs and actors to emphasize the drama and the lyricism of the compositions as well as the philosophical content filtered through the ancient tragedy. Hence the name of the Project, which refers to the well-known orthodox Christian command “the doors, the doors in wisdom enter” and called the uninitiated Christians to leave the holy temple.
In the musical part, the characteristic domestic sound of the guitar is evident and undoubtedly perhaps and inevitably there are influences from VARATHRON, ROTTING CHRIST, MACABRE OMEN and KAWIR. The compositions are mostly mid tempo, but they are also interspersed with black metal explosions, narrative parts, spatial interpretations and unplugged parts. “Villa Dei Papiri” is for me one of the top compositions together with perhaps the exodus “Exodus-Catharsis” with its pluralism, emotion and the whole range of emotions it can evoke.
The production seems to be at a very good level and in general the whole project seems well done and if nothing else hard worked since Corax wanted to give his all to the realization of his vision. The narrators give their best in elevating “ThanatOpsis” and work seamlessly with the rest of the chorus. Hold this album, it will definitely be on many lists for the best of 2021. The flaw I found is that unfortunately in the time we live in, everything happens so fast and with so much stress in work and private life, the album cannot be addressed to a wide audience. The listener needs to listen to it in its entirety, to consolidate it, to make it his property, only in this way he will be able to become a part of the dramatic, ritualistic, philosophical ceremony that takes place in “ThanatOpsis”. Do yourself and your soul this favor, sit back, put on your headphones, hold the book that accompanies the disc in your hand and let the emotions take over you. It’s a pure catharsis as well.
Rating: 7,5/10
Editor: Dimos Karadimos
Related Link: THYRATHEN – Official Page
