Blood Red Throne
MONUMENT OF DEATH

December 2001
Released: 2001, Hammerheart Records
Rating: 4.5/5
Reviewer: Luxi Lahtinen

Great Deicide worshipping going on here from these Norwegian deathsters Blood Red Throne - a holy crushed icon indeed!! The band, featuring Tchort (ex-Emperor/Satyricon/Einherjer) on guitar, Død (ex-Satyricon) on another guitar, Erlend C on bass, Mr. Hustler on vocals (NOT that ol' pervert, though!) and Freddy B. on bass come as close to Deicide era LEGION as it's really possible; so close that you may mistakenly think MONUMENT OF DEATH was actually Deicide's next recording which they did after LEGION, but was left unreleased for some reason or the other (well, some hints to both Cannibal Corpse and Death can be traced down as well...). Sure, similar stuff to Deicide's has already been done earlier (Infestdead, Luciferion, Throneaeon, etc.), but in my opinion none other band has done it any tastier or better than this Norwegian Death Metal combo Blood Red Throne thus far. And neither this convincing - nor entertaining way 'coz these guys sound like they have well-prepared to get their Deicide -exams thru successfully with the highest grades possible. The very apprentices of the Mr. Benton -school possess such a technical level instrumental-wise that you can only be amazed by the fact how on earth they´ve been capable of creating all these heart-stopping rhythm sections, catchy as hell riffs, devastating drum parts from the courtesy of an infamous skin pounder Freddy and tormenting death grunts of Mr. Hustler. This stuff nearly approaches perfection in the ultimate catchiness and in a strong dedication. It's like it makes me wishing to be a musician myself alike the fellows of B.R.T. - pounding your eardrums in a merciless excitement for the rest of my life with a smug, broad grin punch in my face.



Punishing, brain-nailing, soul-desecrating and gut-wrenching shit from the beginning to the very end. I'm not going to say more...