Thorn - Evergloom Cassette

Underground death metal heroes Thorn conjure up their third full length which is easily their most mature and immersive one yet. They’ve elevated their unique style of barbaric old school death metal blended with emotionally-charged atmospheric parts which very few bands are able to pull off convincingly. As if reminiscing about bittersweet memories, the music instinctively oscillates between angry, bludgeoning parts and poignant, wistful tunes. This contrast works beautifully for their kind of doomy death metal music, and even better so on this album which has more pronounced death metal influences along with comparatively more fleshed out structures. Interestingly, the songs on the album start getting more violent after the initial comforting lull, drawing in unsuspecting new listeners and preparing them for the ritualistic slaughter, after which they go back to their dreamlike state, closing with the triumphant title track which perfectly encapsulates their sound. Thorn have come up with a refreshing and fulfilling album that’s just as powerful as it’s evocative, and one that will be talked about for aeons to come.

FFO: Desecresy, Intestine Baalism, Edge of Sanity, Desultory, Fumes