### Blood Red Throne: Brutalitarian regime

#### 10/02/12 || revenant

Blood Red Throne has always been a special band for me. Their blend of death metal has always held a unique appeal, and their monumental album “Altered Genesis” ranks amongst one of my favourite death metal albums of all time. Their latest offering, “Brutalitarian Regime”, now a few months old, comes at a time where there is quite a bit of turmoil in the band. Prior to the release, two members departed (legacy member Tchort and drummer Anders Haave), and then again post this release two more members fucked off (another legacy member in bassist Caspersen and vocalist Vald). These spaces have now been filled, meaning that Blood Red Throne, a band formed in 1998, now has four of it’s five members having joined BRT in 2010 and beyond, the only exception being Død. Where this leaves BRT in the future and what sound they follow is now up in the air. Will “Brutalitarian Regime” be the end of an era? I,for one, certainly hope not.

“Brutalitarian Regime” sees the band yet again nail the formula that stiffens my cock with excitement. While the elements BRT aren’t wholly original, the mix of these elements is what BRT use to make their own unique, bludgeoning sound. Take a dash of Cannibal Corpse, add the jazzy bass of Cynic, load up on technical brutality with serpentine song structures and finally add some black metal into the mix, only a little in terms of style but a whole lot in terms of menace, and that is the Blood Red Throne style. And while in past their style has occasionally leant on the bland side (see “Come Death”), “Brutalitarian Regime” sees them get it right yet again.

The first tracks that open this album are fairly straight forward (for Blood Red Throne that is, the ever present jazzy bass ensures this is not everybody’s definition of straight forward) bangers. Things really take off with track three, “Trapped, Terrified, Dead”, a frighteningly menacing track that breathes evil. Anyone who thought the menace of BRT would depart with Tchort were mistaken. Sadistic, chilling vocals backed up by some scorching fierce tremolo picked sections lay down one of the most frightening, and best, songs of 2011. “Eternal Decay” and “Gates of Humiliation” follow and continue the high standard set and along with the aforementioned “Trapped, Terrified, Dead” are the best tracks here.

While I’m impressed with this album, I can’t say it ranks up there with the band’s best efforts. There is the tendency to occasionally drift into duller pounding passages, and at times (particularly in the second half) the brutality lends a little too heavily on blast beats. That’s not a criticism on the new drummer though, I think he does a fantastic through the whole album and his fills certainly suit the album, and the band’s style, extraordinarily well. BRT for me, still peaked with “Altered Genesis”, but “Brutalitarian Regime” is yet another strong release from a great band, and one I don’t hesitate in recommending.

- Information
- Released: 2011
- Label: Sevared Records
- Website: Blood Red Throne MySpace
- Band
- Vald : vocals
- Død: guitars
- Ivan Gujic: guitars
- Erlend Caspersen: bass
- Emil Wiksten: drums

- Tracklist
- 01. Brutalitarian Regime
- 02. Graveworld
- 03. Trapped, Terrified, Dead
- 04. Eternal Decay
- 05. Games of Humiliation
- 06. The Burning
- 07. Proliferated unto Hemophobia
- 08. Melena
- 09. Parnassian Cacoepy
- 10. Twisted Truth (Pestilence cover)