Metal Underground.com

Advancing quite a bit musically from the simply titled “EP One” several years back, Throne of Malediction is now out with a second DIY full-length album. While still covering a fairly wide range musically, this latest album sees the band working a more polished and cohesive sound that’s easily a release the underground diehards need to seek out and support.

Throne of Malediction has a unique sound all its own. Produced by the core husband/wife duo of Eric and Jessica Horner, the band's a melding of both European and American metal influences. The band works both angles equally, and each half of the duo shines on instruments and vocals – including extreme metal growls and female clean singing. In addition to that core, “Out of Darkness Comes Light” features session work from Kevin George (Martriden, At Home In Hell), Tamara Picardo (Upon Shadows), and Daniel Vrangsinn of Carpathian Forest and Misantrof Anti-Records.

“Black metal” is probably the best descriptor for the album as a whole, but there are other sounds that come out strongly on different tracks. “What Will Never Be” and “Without the Sun” have a serious doom aesthetic going on, with slower and drawn-out guitar chords, while “Syncretism VI” produces a gothic feel with backing keys and clean vocals. “Everything Going Cold” instead focuses on the atmospheric elements, creating the feel the title would suggest. Likewise, there is a wide range on the lyrics, from the expected loss and pain themes to the Dragonlance-based track “The Soulforge.”

The album of course has a fairly raw production, which does create the old-school feel that many black metal fans love, although that does come with its own downsides. Tracks like “A Burden of Ages” really give you a feel of another era in extreme metal and bring to mind the ‘90s classics, but other tracks don’t work quite as well. “Farther Down” unfortunately showcases some of the weaknesses of the kvlt style, as it’s too chaotic to get its message across and too muddy to make everything out properly. “Dead Memories” also sounds quite off, as though the various instruments are playing on totally different wave lengths.

Throne of Malediction has overcome a lot of adversity over the years to continue honing its craft and birth new music regardless of circumstances. Anyone into the true underground of black metal that likes to hear bands trying new things should definitely give “Out of Darkness Comes Light” a thorough listen.