Wolves in the Throne Room are never late, nor are they early. They arrive precisely when they mean to, and that absence only makes the heart grow fonder. Angela and I are both particularly fond of them, so when Estuary finally hit the promo inbox, I knew I had to continue the tradition of collabing with my love on this, the band’s eighth full-length release. Thematically set 1000 years in the future in a post-apocalyptic earth, well beyond the end of civilization, new life and a new religion takes place in the wilds of a recovering planet, in a world without humanity.
Says Ian: Wolves in the Throne Room are a band that are constantly reinventing themselves, in small and large ways. Celestite may have divided the community, but you can’t argue that they don’t take big swings. They also tend to return back to center after a big swing; it seems like every other WitTR album gets hailed as a “return to form” and you could certainly argue that Estuary fits that pattern. Where Thrice Woven saw the brothers Weaver get back to their black metal roots after Celestite, and Primordial Arcana saw them expand out again into more traditional heavy metal, Estuary has that warm and fuzzy, “sweatpants fresh out of the dryer” Cascadian black metal feel to it. Airy, dreamy and deeply melodic guitar lines weave their way through lengthy compositions that pass through movements of raw, naked aggression and movements of still, quiet contemplation.
Par for the course as far as Wolves in the Throne Room go, but man do they do what they do so well. There is a reason they are a particularly beloved USBM band, and Estuary is a perfect example of why. There’s something so enchanting about how well the melodies and harmonies capture the story that they have set out; putting Estuary on is an incredibly immersive experience, and the irony is that this black metal release is one of the most peaceful listening experiences we’ve had all year. You couple that with the reemergence of the synth passages and the fact that they actually have a bass player on this record (!!!), and there also happens to be enough mixed into the formula to make Estuary stand on its own from the rest of their discography. Listen to “Knights of Tiamat” and try not to bob your head along to that monstrous bass groove that drives the middle passage. You can’t, it’s too good.
Says Angela: While Ian had a peaceful listening experience, mine was heightened with anticipation and excitement. Estuary rekindled my admiration of Wolves in the Throne Room and had me thinking back to shows of theirs we have attended in the past. It put me right back in that incense filled auditorium, cheering as the band stepped on stage drinking from bottles of red wine. The energy in the album is powerful. With the added dystopian, sci-fi atmospherics and massive waves of sound, I was eager to hear what came next and see what was lurking around each corner. “Foretold in Reflections” felt like ancient Gods walking the Earth, reclaiming a land their spirits once haunted. Foreboding marching and enchanting synths add to the fantastical feel of the album. Worlds of new and old collide creating something wild, raw, and heavy. Estuary is cohesive with six hefty tracks that flow together with atmospheric interludes in the transitions. The world building within the tracks is provocative with glimmers of hope shining through the tracks amidst the ruin and decay. Estuary is definitely an immersive experience, on this I agree fully with my husband (do not let that go to your head). The layers of sound, different vocal styles, choral-like synths, ambient touches, gothic guitars, and strong emotion heard throughout is easy to get lost in.
Needless to say, we both enjoyed Estuary and consider it to be another standout album in the band’s mighty discography. It certainly feels like a timely release in the world we are living in, serving as a reminder that to the earth we shall return and we need to take better care of the environment. Less AI and more sci-fi. Less propaganda and more plant propagation. Less pollution and more solutions. Alright, I’m done now. Just give Estuary a listen and allow yourself to be swept up into the world WitTR creates. Perhaps we will be able to see them live once again and witness the magick on their new tour. WitTR will be in the US in January and February and they do not disappoint. Their presence is hypnotizing and seeing them live feels like partaking in an ancient ritual…but let us hope that no post-apocalyptic mutant creatures are summoned.
-Ian and Angela
Estuary is available now on Relapse Records. For more information on Wolves in the Throne Room, visit their official website.
Leave a Reply