Wolves in the Throne Room is an American black metal band formed in 2002 in Olympia, Washington, by brothers Aaron and Nathan Weaver. They have released seven full-length albums, two live albums, and two EPs. One of the band's core concepts is channeling the "energies of the Pacific Northwest's landscape" into musical form.
History Formation and Diadem of 12 Stars (2002–2006) Brothers Aaron and Nathan Weaver formed the band in 2002. Their first practice took place in a cabin on the then-abandoned Calliope Farm, where they had recently moved. Nathan met Nick Paul, and the three began to write material for a demo. At the time, Paul was influenced by thrash metal, speed metal, and death metal, citing bands like Death and Bolt Thrower, as well as post-punk and gothic rock influences such as Swans, Siouxsie and the Banshees, and Fields of the Nephilim. Aaron and Nathan's style was informed by crust, doom, Norwegian black metal, and American black metal.
The band's first release was a fur-wrapped, moss-containing CD-R in 2004. Paul left the band after recording the demo.
Richard Dalahn joined the band in early 2005. They began working on material for a second demo, which would include two tracks off of their first studio album, Diadem of 12 Stars.
Their debut full-length album, Diadem of 12 Stars, was released in 2006.Gnade, Adam (2006) "Forest Doom: Black Wolves Hunt Souls in the Throne Room", Portland Mercury, October 5, 2006, retrieved December 24, 2011 It was recorded with a $1100 budget by Tim Green at Louder Studios in San Francisco.Grow, Kory (2005) "Wolves in the Throne Room", CMJ New Music Monthly, Issue 139, p. 15, retrieved December 24, 2011 The band played shows from Olympia to San Francisco to raise money for the project, and borrowed equipment from local band Ludicra.
Nathan met singer Jamie Myers from the band Hammers of Misfortune on a previous tour, and asked her to sing on the album. Myers was nine months pregnant when she recorded her vocal tracks.
Southern Lord Records signed the band and reissued the album on vinyl.
The debut record received positive reviews. Pitchfork stated, "it's the inclusion of folk and goth that separates Wolves in the Throne Room from the pack, breaking up the madness with moments of poetic clarity."
Two Hunters and Black Cascade (2007–2010)
The band released their second full-length album, Two Hunters, in 2007, the first part of a trilogy that concluded with Celestial Lineage. Two Hunters was the first time the band worked with producer Randall Dunn, who later produced Black Cascade and Celestial Lineage. During the Two Hunters sessions, the band incorporated analog synthesizers such as the Korg Polysix and the Minimoog, which has become crucial to the band's sound. Persian classical singer Jessika Kenney performed vocals on "Cleansing" and "I Will Lay Down My Bones Among the Rocks and Roots."
Two Hunters received critical acclaim. Reviewers praised the band's blend of conventional metal and post-rock.
Their third album, Black Cascade, was released in March 2009 through Southern Lord.Ratliff, Ben (2009) "Expansive Pop, Hypnotic Jazz, Surprising Metal", The New York Times, March 8, 2009, retrieved December 24, 2011 The album featured a raw, stripped-down sound. After Black Cascade, the toured the United States and Europe supporting Sunn O))), Earth, and Weedeater. The band played at the 2008 and 2009 Roadburn Festivals, Hellfest, Graspop, and Roskilde. Roadburn released a Live at Roadburn 2008 album in early 2009.
Godspeed You! Black Emperor chose Wolves in the Throne Roomfor the 2010 All Tomorrow's Parties festival in Minehead, UK.
Celestial Lineage, Celestite (2011–2016) The band released their fourth full-length album, the Randall Dunn-produced Celestial Lineage, on September 13, 2011.Rivadavia, Eduardo "Celestial Lineage Review", AllMusic, retrieved December 24, 2011 This record was their first written and recorded as a two-piece.
Music critic Brandon Stosuy described Celestial Lineage as "American black metal's idiosyncratic defining record of 2011".Stosuy, Brandon (November 28, 2011) "The Top 40 Metal Albums of 2011", Pitchfork Media, retrieved December 24, 2011 AllMusic's Eduardo Rivadavia argued that the album was a marriage of the two previous albums, "resulting in their most refined and confident outing to date."
In January 2014, it was announced that Celestite, a "companion album" to Celestial Lineage, was set for released.Wolves In The Throne Room Reveal Details Of New "Companion" Album metalhammer.co.uk. January 28, 2014. Retrieved on February 14, 2014. Celestite was released in North America on Artemisia Records on July 8, 2014, and was described as an experimental extension of the themes explored in Celestial Lineage.Celestite release details & West coast tour dates wittr.com. May 7, 2014. Retrieved on July 28, 2014.
Daniel Ross of The Quietus described Celestite as a departure from the band's "plectrum-annihilating assault", and praised the band's ability to act as "enablers of specific atmospheres, able to handhold a listener through incredibly dense forest in very low light."
Thrice Woven (2016–2020) In 2015, the band began work on Thrice Woven, set for release on September 22, 2017. The album was released three days earlier. Thrice Woven received positive reviews from critics. Metal Hammer Magazine stated, "They've returned with full force...a celebration of the visceral and elemental... It's an absolute pleasure to have them back again".
In June 2016, the band remastered and reissued their first album, Diadem of 12 Stars, and announced a North American tour.
In June 2018, Wolves In The Throne Room won Best Underground Band at Metal Hammer Magazine's 2018 Golden Gods Awards in London.
The band toured regularly in support of Thrice Woven, including a co-headline outing with Norway's Enslaved on the 2018 Decibel Magazine Tour, and supporting Behemoth and At the Gates for 10 weeks in the US and Europe as part of Ecclesia Diabolica
In 2019, the band signed with Century Media Records, who would release their next album in 2020/2021.
Wolves in the Throne Room supported Dimmu Borgir and Amorphis during their European tour in January 2020.
Primordial Arcana and Crypt of Ancestral Knowledge (2021–present) On June 10, 2021, the band released the single "Mountain Magick", and announced their seventh album, Primordial Arcana, released on August 20.
On August 16, 2023, the band released the single "Twin Mouthed Spring", and announced the EP Crypt of Ancestral Knowledge, due for release on September 29.
Musical style and live performances The band's music has been described as "atmospheric black metal" and "Cascadian black metal".Hopper, Jessica (2009) "Wolves in the Throne Room. It's organic metal", Chicago Tribune, May 15, 2009, p. 13 ('On the Town' section)Masciandaro, Nicola et al. (2010) Hideous Gnosis, Createspace, , p. 109 They have also been considered significant to post-metal for their combination of "ambience and violence" to create "emotionally impacting" music, especially on their 2007 sophomore album Two Hunters.
Wolves in the Throne Room has not incorporated most of the traditional traits of black metal such as corpse paint, the use of pseudonyms and Satanic imagery.Hopper, Jessica (2009) "Back to the land with the Wolves", Chicago Tribune, May 15, 2009, retrieved December 24, 2011 Member Aaron Weaver has said, "Wolves in the Throne Room is not black metal, or, more accurately, we play black metal on our own terms, for our own reasons." And unlike most modern metal bands, Wolves in the Throne Room always use vintage amplifiers and recording equipment.
Aaron Weaver has also described their music as "striving to operate on the mythic level", commenting that "I think there's this sense that we've lost something and we can't have it back. And maybe it's not something we ever wanted to begin with. That sense of despair and loss and you don't even know what you lost. That's one of the central themes in black metal and that runs through our records as well." He went on to add that one of the central ideals of the band is "the idea of uncovering the occult or the spiritual or the energetic reality of place. Being deeply connected to a place and creating music and art that rises up out of a landscape."
Wolves in the Throne Room's sound is influenced by Scandinavian black metal. Additionally, Wolves in the Throne Room has often cited American band Neurosis as a key inspiration because their music "operates on a deep and intense mythic level". They have also mentioned synthesizer artists like Popol Vuh as an influence.WOLVES IN THE THRONE ROOM Album Nears Completion thegauntlet.com. July 11, 2011. Retrieved on July 11, 2011.
Wolves in the Throne Room prefer their live concerts to be firelit, whether it be performing outdoors or in an indoor venue.Anson, Matthew Grant (2011) "Year in Review: The best concerts of 2011", The Copenhagen Post, December 22, 2011, retrieved December 24, 2011 The band also does not permit flash photography at their shows.
Members Nathan Weaver – guitar, lead vocals (2002–present) Aaron Weaver – drums, bass, synthesizers (2002–present) Kody Keyworth – guitar, vocals (2017–present)
Former members Nick Paul - guitar (2003–2004) Richard Dahlen – guitar (2005–2007) Will Lindsay – guitar, backing vocals, bass (2008–2009)
Session musicians Nick Paul – guitar on Wolves in the Throne Room Jamie Myers – sung vocals on Diadem of 12 Stars, Malevolent Grain Jessika Kenney – sung vocals on Two Hunters and Celestial Lineage Will Lindsay (Middian) – bass on Live at Roadburn 2008 Dino Sommese (Dystopia, Asunder) – guest vocals Ross Sewage (Ludicra, Impaled) – bass on 2008 Autumn US tour and 2009 Winter European tour Oscar Sparbell (Christian Mistress) – bass on 2009 US and European tours Galen Baudhuin (Aridus, Infera Bruo, Street Tombs, Trap Them) - bass, vocals, live and on Primordial Arcana and Crypt of Ancestral Knowledge 2019 - present
Timeline
Discography Studio albums Diadem of 12 Stars (2006, Vendlus) Two Hunters (2007, Southern Lord) Black Cascade (2009, Southern Lord) Celestial Lineage (2011, Southern Lord) Celestite (2014, Artemisia Records) Thrice Woven (2017, Artemisia Records) Primordial Arcana (2021, Relapse Records)
EPs Malevolent Grain (2009, Southern Lord) Crypt of Ancestral Knowledge (2023, Relapse Records)
Live albums Live at Roadburn 2008 (2009, Roadburn) BBC Session 2011 Anno Domini (2013, Southern Lord) Turning Ever Towards The Sun - Live At Neudegg Alm (2014, Funkenflug Recordings) Live at the Bell House 9.12.11 (2015, Saint Roch Recordings)
Demos Wolves in the Throne Room (2004, independent) 2005 Demo (2005, Ván Records)
References
External links
Wolves in the Throne Room at Facebook