#aard โ Public Fediverse posts
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๐๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ฑ ๐ถ๐ ๐๐ฎ๐บ๐ฒ๐ป ๐บ๐ฒ๐ ๐๐ถ๐ท๐ป ๐ณ๐ฎ๐บ๐ถ๐น๐ถ๐ฒ ๐ด๐ฒ๐๐๐ฟ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐ผ๐ฝ ๐๐๐ฟ๐ฎรง๐ฎ๐ผ: '๐๐ถ๐๐ฎ๐ฟ ๐ฑ๐ฎ๐ ๐๐ผ๐ถ๐ฒ๐๐ ๐๐ผ ๐ฑ๐ถ๐ฐ๐ต๐๐ฏ๐ถ๐ท ๐ด๐ฒ๐ฏ๐ฒ๐๐ฟ๐'
"De sfeer is sinds gisteren bizar op het eiland." Aard Lagerwerf (32) uit Amersfoort is met zijn tweelingbroer en hun gezinnen op vakantie op Curaรงao. Ze genoten daar van een welverdiende vakantie totdat gisteren 'alles veranderde'. Niemand heeft...
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By Grin Reaper
For the uninitiated, German quintet Thron peddles black metal in the vein of Dissection and Naglfar. Theyโve had a sporadic history with AMG, where their self-titled debut and third outing Pilgrim earned very good marks, while sophomore album Abysmal never made it to the promo sump. In 2023, fourth record Dust put Thron on my radar with their seemingly effortless skill to fuse hooky leads and traditional black metal with snatches of black โnโ roll. After two-and-a-half years, Thron returns with Vurias, their fifth platter in a decade. In his review of Pilgrim, Eldritch Elitist noted that Thron continues to get better with each release. I agree that Dust improved on Pilgrim, but does the trend hold true for Vurias, and if so, is it enough to crack the barrier into greatness?
While black metal comprises the bedrock of Thronโs core sound, it never burdens them with tired genre tropes. Since their 2017 debut, Thron has artfully constructed slow-burn builds into ferocious second-wave hostility, bestowing their albums with a distilled dynamism uncommon in a genre largely known for direct, unencumbered aesthetics. The sophisticated approach to songwriting creates music bursting with lush layers and ample replayability. Thron imbues their melodies with a plaintive ache that touches the coldest and deadest of hearts, and their prowess in evoking open, desolate atmospheres and interweaving them with blast beats and trem picking collides like Wayfarer and Necrophobic. Vurias picks up where Dust left off, taking elements that distinguished Thron and advancing them with an even bolder vision.
Though still unmistakably Thron, Vurias incorporates new components for an even broader sonic footprint. The most noticeable enhancements are the expanded synth presence, courtesy of guitarist PVIII, and the addition of saxophone.1 Drummer and presumed cephalopod J (from Aard, Malphas, and Ghรถrnt, among others) pummels the skins with menacing single-mindedness (โA Paradoxโ) and exacting fills (โOne Truth, One Lightโ), while also supplying texture with deft cymbal work (โGriefbearerโ). PVIIIโs and Ravendustโs guitars emote tones dulcet and cruel, painting profound soundscapes with dramatic depth. And though the axe-work is intricate, itโs rarely showy, making the solo from โHubrisโ Crownโ a ripping good moment. Meanwhile, SXIIIโs rumbling bass slinks near the bottom of the mix, unobtrusive yet complimenting the rest of the band (โThe Metamorphโs Curseโ). Through it all, Samca rasps with grating clarity, driving songs forward and commanding attention despite the whirling maelstrom of instrumental might. Thron excels at establishing an identity for each of Vuriasโs tracks. From the Opethian retro synth in โUngemach (Stilles Ende)โ to the sultry sax swagger in โThe Hunter and the Prey,โ every song is punctuated with standout moments.
Vurias is a calculated slab of meloblack that thwarts the criticisms of albums past. Every instrument gleams with vibrance thanks to the balanced production and mix, which afford the requisite space for each part without drowning the others out. Besides Thronโs debut, this is their shortest album, clocking in at forty-seven minutes with nary a moment of bloat. Iโve listened through Vurias many times seeking gripes and derailers, and each time I come away compelled to appreciate it even moreโto love it, even. The only thing holding Vurias back is that a couple of songs donโt reach the same exquisite heights as others. Rest assured, this is a minor quibble, as there are no bad or unessential songs. In fact, Thron has assembled a record that is more than the sum of its parts, boasting a streamlined cohesion that falls apart if the tracks are reordered or a select track is removed.2
It should come as no surprise to fans that Thron has written their best album yet, as every new record they release ascends to the top. Vurias, by the way, translates from Latin to English as โYou Are Beautiful.โ The rationale behind the name is a mystery to me, but the album seethes with an inevitable beauty that transcends genre labels and deserves a spin from any fan of extreme metal. Iโm dozens of listens in and continue to discover aspects I previously overlooked. Thatโs alright, though, because it reinforces the addictiveness that makes Vurias so accessible in the first place. In fact, I think Iโll spin it again.
Rating: Great!
DR: 6 | Format Reviewed: 320 kbps mp3
Label: Listenable Records
Websites: Bandcamp | Facebook
Releases Worldwide: October 31st, 2025#2025 #40 #Aard #BlackMetal #Dissection #GermanMetal #Ghornt #ListenableRecords #Malphas #MelodicBlackMetal #Naglfar #Necrophobic #Oct25 #Opeth #Review #Reviews #Thron #Vurias #Wayfarer
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๐๐ฒ๐ป๐๐ฒ ๐๐ฐ๐ต๐ฎ๐ฎ๐บ๐ ๐๐ถ๐ฐ๐ต ๐ป๐ผ๐ผ๐ถ๐ ๐บ๐ฒ๐ฒ๐ฟ ๐๐ผ๐ผ๐ฟ ๐ต๐ฎ๐ฎ๐ฟ ๐ถ๐ป๐๐ฟ๐ผ๐๐ฒ๐ฟ๐๐ฒ ๐ฎ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ฑ: '๐๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ต๐ ๐ฑ๐ฎ๐ ๐ฒ๐ฟ ๐ถ๐ฒ๐๐ ๐บ๐ถ๐ ๐๐ฎ๐ ๐บ๐ฒ๐ ๐บ๐ถ๐ท'
In deze wekelijkse rubriek vertellen mensen over iets dat zij nooit meer willen meemaken, doen of laten. Deze week: lange tijd voelde Bente van de Wouw (30) zich raar en buiten de boot vallen. Want waarom genoot zij niet van feestjes, drukte...