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Wolves In The Throne Room - Celestite review




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Reviewer:
N/A

132 users:
6.8
Band: Wolves In The Throne Room
Album: Celestite
Release date: July 2014


01. Turning Ever Towards The Sun
02. Initiation At Neudeg Alm
03. Bridge Of Leaves
04. Celestite Mirror
05. Sleeping Golden Storm

Wolves In The Throne Room. That name quite clearly means different things to different people. Upon the announcement that the band's fifth album would have no vocals or drums, and instead be more of an instrumental ambient album, a polarization of sorts occurred among the WITTR fanbase. Many were excited about the idea, but a good percent of others lamented the loss of the band's black metal personality that was to come. I happily planted myself in the former camp, and I'm very delighted to say that the Weaver brothers have exceeded my expectations with Celestite.

When the idea behind Celestite was originally let loose, I figured the album would be a natural continuation of those two short instrumental tracks from the previous album ("Permanent Changes In Consciousness" and "Rainbow Illness"). In some ways it is, but for the most part, the new Wolves In The Throne Room album moves even farther beyond them, creating an impressively enveloping, synthesizer-fueled atmosphere that is nothing short of dreamlike and hypnotizing, like floating among the trees that these guys so reverently celebrate. At times said synths take a more harmonic and monotonous role, such as on "Turning Ever Towards The Sun," and at others they take more of an upfront, lead role, focusing on actual melody, like on "Celestite Mirror."

Following the release of "Celestite Mirror" as a preview for Celestite, a few people jokingly started referring to the band as "Wolves In The Drone Room," but this comment actually isn't too far off point in regards to this album. Indeed, a fair amount of moments lurking within it bear a good resemblance to bands like Sunn O))) and Boris, in the aspect of the repetitive and tracelike nature of the guitars and other instrumentation, as on "Initiation At Neudeg Alm." The usage of french horn and trombone builds upon this vibe even more, and, when appearing, is quite epic to say the very least.

Celestite is thus a very interesting and important album for Wolves In The Throne Room, taking subtle influences from their previous albums, while also having the distinction of sounding nothing at all like them. Some listeners may dismiss this album for its lack of black metal, but to me the band were never truly about that anyway, at least not entirely. It was always the ambient elements, the pantheistic sort of effects, that gave Wolves In The Throne Room their distinct, transcendental edge, and nothing less. Celestite feels as though it is perhaps the greatest development upon this line of thought in the band's discography yet, and in a way feels a lot more honest and genuine for this reason, as if it was something the Weaver brothers had been wanting to do for a long time. Though quite the departure from some of their previous material, Celestite comes across as yet another triumphant chapter in the band's legacy, a distinction that will be likely to only solidify with time.

Check out "Celestite Mirror" over here, and stay tuned for the album's full release!





Written on 24.06.2014 by Metal Storm’s own Babalao. Comforting the disturbed and disturbing the comfortable since 2013.


Comments

Comments: 28   Visited by: 389 users
24.06.2014 - 05:17
Lit.
Account deleted
Stoked.
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24.06.2014 - 05:24
Cynic Metalhead
Paisa Vich Nasha
Hey, mz!

Your reference is in official review. You can now officially jump like a happy monkey.
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24.06.2014 - 06:35
Auntie Sahar
Drone Empress
Written by Cynic Metalhead on 24.06.2014 at 05:24

Hey, mz!

Your reference is in official review. You can now officially jump like a happy monkey.

Heh, I was trying to remember who had said that. Wouldn't be the first time I mentioned a user comment in one of my reviews either
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I am the Magician and the Exorcist. I am the axle of the wheel, and the cube in the circle. “Come unto me” is a foolish word: for it is I that go.

~ II. VII
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24.06.2014 - 11:13
Rating: 8
mz

Written by Cynic Metalhead on 24.06.2014 at 05:24

Hey, mz!

Your reference is in official review. You can now officially jump like a happy monkey.

Yes I'm on it . It's a big achievement for me, thanks to Che .
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Giving my ears a rest from music.
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24.06.2014 - 11:15
Rating: 8
mz

Cant wait to hear the whole thing. If the rest of album is going to be with the same quality of the previously published one, Celestite will be the biggest positive surprise of 2014.
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Giving my ears a rest from music.
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24.06.2014 - 15:34
Rating: 7
Ag Fox
Angel No More
Sounds promising (=
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loves 小巫
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24.06.2014 - 16:33
Cynic Metalhead
Paisa Vich Nasha
So far what I've been through is just bonkers. Review is spot on.

I need to sit and give this record a darn full spin. Fun is in listening to this record at one go.
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24.06.2014 - 17:01
Auntie Sahar
Drone Empress
Written by mz on 24.06.2014 at 11:13

It's a big achievement for me, thanks to Che .

Mama must be so proud
----
I am the Magician and the Exorcist. I am the axle of the wheel, and the cube in the circle. “Come unto me” is a foolish word: for it is I that go.

~ II. VII
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24.06.2014 - 20:45
Opethian

Im hoping for some good Drone lol. Sunn O))) bores me out now ..
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24.06.2014 - 21:07
Auntie Sahar
Drone Empress
Written by Opethian on 24.06.2014 at 20:45

Im hoping for some good Drone lol. Sunn O))) bores me out now ..

It's definitely not a drone album, just meant that some moments are drone-like
----
I am the Magician and the Exorcist. I am the axle of the wheel, and the cube in the circle. “Come unto me” is a foolish word: for it is I that go.

~ II. VII
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25.06.2014 - 00:49
Slayer666

I gotta say this album doesn't do anything for me.

This is basically just another Wolves album, only played with different instruments this time around. And the thing is, their particular music style just doesn't work without the said instruments.

During its entire duration I had a feeling that something big was coming on, that this was all a build-up to some monumental finisher, but it never delivered. So it was a pretty "meh" experience for me, overall.
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25.06.2014 - 04:00
Auntie Sahar
Drone Empress
Written by Slayer666 on 25.06.2014 at 00:49

This is basically just another Wolves album, only played with different instruments this time around. And the thing is, their particular music style just doesn't work without the said instruments.

Gotta say I (and so it seems a fair majority of others) disagree with you there man. By "particular style" I guess you're referring to black metal, but as I said in the review, WITTR were never primarily about that in the first place. It was always the atmospheric and ambient elements that made the band and gave them their distinct edge, not the black metal. Could you imagine albums like Two Hunters, or Celestial Lineage, without such effects? I sure couldn't, because take them out, and then WITTR's just another BM band, just raw and brutal, no further dynamic with which to engage the listener. That in my opinion isn't what the Weavers made the band about, and it isn't going to be.
----
I am the Magician and the Exorcist. I am the axle of the wheel, and the cube in the circle. “Come unto me” is a foolish word: for it is I that go.

~ II. VII
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25.06.2014 - 20:01
Rating: 7
Reaper_Redeemer

Can't stand!
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25.06.2014 - 20:21
!J.O.O.E.!
Account deleted
Written by Reaper_Redeemer on 25.06.2014 at 20:01

Can't stand!

You should sit down then.
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25.06.2014 - 21:05
Rating: 6
Erik M.

"as if it was something the Weaver brothers had been wanting to do for a long time."

Reminds me of Aaron from My Dying Bride saying the same thing about when they made Evinta... and look how that album turned out: immensely boring.

Anyway, nice review but I'm still not sure whether I'll enjoy this or not. I like ambient music more when it's combined nicely with "heavier" music, which most of the time is black metal (that last Spectral Lore album is a good example of this), so this might be too much ambience for me. Only one way to find out of course.
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25.06.2014 - 21:31
Auntie Sahar
Drone Empress
Written by Erik M. on 25.06.2014 at 21:05

Nice review but I'm still not sure whether I'll enjoy this or not. I like ambient music more when it's combined nicely with "heavier" music, which most of the time is black metal (that last Spectral Lore album is a good example of this), so this might be too much ambience for me. Only one way to find out of course.

If that's the case, then yeah, it might bore you, but I think you'll no doubt appreciate it to some degree. I find myself just the opposite with that heavier music comment. I mean I love ambient black metal, or otherwise, but I always find myself wishing the ambient element was increased, that it isn't enough, when listening. For years when I listened to WITTR I had always wondered what they'd sound like without the metal, if it was just the ambient elements standing by themselves. Now I have my answer, and I'm loving the hell out of this album
----
I am the Magician and the Exorcist. I am the axle of the wheel, and the cube in the circle. “Come unto me” is a foolish word: for it is I that go.

~ II. VII
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26.06.2014 - 03:43
Opethian

Written by Auntie Sahar on 24.06.2014 at 21:07

Written by Opethian on 24.06.2014 at 20:45

Im hoping for some good Drone lol. Sunn O))) bores me out now ..

It's definitely not a drone album, just meant that some moments are drone-like


Just mentioning that It wouldn't bother me if was a Drone album
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26.06.2014 - 06:15
Auntie Sahar
Drone Empress
Written by Opethian on 26.06.2014 at 03:43

Just mentioning that It wouldn't bother me if was a Drone album

Likewise, that could make it even more interesting
----
I am the Magician and the Exorcist. I am the axle of the wheel, and the cube in the circle. “Come unto me” is a foolish word: for it is I that go.

~ II. VII
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27.06.2014 - 01:13
Rating: 7
Reaper_Redeemer

Written by Guest on 25.06.2014 at 20:21

Written by Reaper_Redeemer on 25.06.2014 at 20:01

Can't stand!

You should sit down then.


But they call be to stand up! Like in the national hymn, you can't get away of this kind of stuff..
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07.07.2014 - 16:37
Rating: 8
Sword_Chant

Does anyone have an idea on the percentage of how much metal (esp, electric guitars) is in this album? I can barely hear any, not slating the album because in areas it's pretty good, just curious
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07.07.2014 - 23:50
Auntie Sahar
Drone Empress
Written by Sword_Chant on 07.07.2014 at 16:37

Does anyone have an idea on the percentage of how much metal (esp, electric guitars) is in this album? I can barely hear any, not slating the album because in areas it's pretty good, just curious

In a sense you could say it does have some percentage of metal because there's a bit of a drone influence to it, but that's really kinda stretching it. It's more ambient than anything else.
----
I am the Magician and the Exorcist. I am the axle of the wheel, and the cube in the circle. “Come unto me” is a foolish word: for it is I that go.

~ II. VII
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08.07.2014 - 00:52
Troy Killjoy
perfunctionist
Written by Sword_Chant on 07.07.2014 at 16:37
Does anyone have an idea on the percentage of how much metal (esp, electric guitars) is in this album? I can barely hear any, not slating the album because in areas it's pretty good, just curious

According to my research

This album is 10% metal.
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"Wise men talk because they have something to say; fools because they have to say something."
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08.07.2014 - 03:34
Rating: 7
Karlabos
Meat and Potatos
Written by Troy Killjoy on 08.07.2014 at 00:52

This album is 10% metal.

Really!? DOn't make me laugh. It's clearly 12.8%!
Dude... You know nothing about metal.
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"Aah! The cat turned into a cat!"
- Reimu Hakurei
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08.07.2014 - 04:34
Lit.
Account deleted
Holy crap, some made a Magic School Bus reference on Metalstorm?! What is this world coming to?!
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09.07.2014 - 19:27
oshgar

Imagine the soundtrack of exploring an abandoned space station of an advanced alien race which may contain the secrets of all space and time and hopefully some spare oxygen for your slowly depleting supply. That is this album. Awesome stuff
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14.07.2014 - 21:18
metalwolf

I lreally like this album, but you really have to look/listen carefully to find the metal elements in it.
It sounds a lot like a Tangerine Dream album...oops!, did I just reveal my age?
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Cthulhu for President! Why settle for the lesser evil?
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15.07.2014 - 00:16
Auntie Sahar
Drone Empress
Written by metalwolf on 14.07.2014 at 21:18

It sounds a lot like a Tangerine Dream album...oops!, did I just reveal my age?

No shame to that game, Tangerine Dream are awesome, and you're not the first person I've seen make that comparison with this album.
----
I am the Magician and the Exorcist. I am the axle of the wheel, and the cube in the circle. “Come unto me” is a foolish word: for it is I that go.

~ II. VII
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15.07.2014 - 19:43
metalwolf

Written by Auntie Sahar on 15.07.2014 at 00:16

No shame to that game, Tangerine Dream are awesome, and you're not the first person I've seen make that comparison with this album.


I was thinking of their early work, 'Alpha Centauri' comes to mind. More than 40 years old...
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Cthulhu for President! Why settle for the lesser evil?
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