Band:	Blood Red Throne
Album:	Nonagon
Style:	Death metal
Release date:	January 2024

01. Epitaph Inscribed
02. Ode To The Obscene
03. Seeking To Pierce
04. Tempest Sculptor
05. Every Silent Plea
06. Nonagon
07. Split Tongue Sermon
08. Blade Eulogy
09. Fleshrend

What's more brutal than geometry?

Norwegian death metal merchants Blood Red Throne are as much an institution as they are candidates for an institution, such is their ability to conjure up the gruesome and grotesque. Exhibit eleven, Nonagon, is the latest slab of pummelling death metal cuts that will have fans of the genre kicking off the new year in style.

Eleven albums and still managing to find glory in the gory is an achievement in and of itself; while Blood Red Throne have never been able to push through the ranks to the upper strata of death metal, it is not far lack of persistence or quality. Nonagon is the latest quality argument that the band should be more celebrated than they are, with a profile befitting their contribution to the death metal genre.

Masters of the restrained profane, Blood Red Throne's weapon of choice has long been writing songs that are mid-paced, but feel like they're straining at the leash. "Seeking To Pierce" has this in spades, with occasional bursts in tempo improving the effectiveness of such a tactic. Key to this is sticksman Bolsø, who is able to maintain the same intensity in his drumming, even when dropping the pace ("Tempest Sculptor" is another solid example of this), managing to shift between power and groove in an almost effortless approach.

"Split Tongue Sermon" sees all the different elements coalesce into one solid highlight of a track, with shifting tempos, groove and power all making for one killer cut. Død and Gujic provide some solid guitar work that elevates the track, while also managing to balance the old school death metal vibe with their own modern slant. Likewise, "Blade Eulogy" dismisses ceremony and just gets down to the business of being another solid death metal track.

Nonagon is a well produced album, managing to balance power and atmosphere while enabling each element to be audible in the mix. The occasional low-end thump of Gunderson's bass across the album (particularly on "Fleshrend") adds to proceedings and helps provide the sonic diversity that makes Nonagon as compelling a listen as it is.

While Nonagon is largely an enjoyable album, there are moments here and there that pull you out of the macabre mindset that the band lull you into. "Every Silent Plea" did have my attention drifting, while "Epitaph Inscribed" isn't the strongest foot on which to kick off the album. While the latter is a case of being the weakest of a strong bunch, the former is a song I would actively skip in future listens.

Blood Red Throne kick 2024 off in style, bringing much-needed energy and adrenaline to the pervading post-holiday lull, energy that will likely reverberate for much of the year and beyond.