Two Hunters - Deadtide
http://www.deadtide.com/reviews/albums/page.php?id=4235
Despite their very young tenure as a band, Wolves in the Throne Room have been on the fast-track to critical acclaim and a cult fanbase since their first demo back in 2004. After quickly coming of age on their 2006 debut, the Wolves became one of the American scene’s ‘best kept secrets’. Now, with their sophomore album ‘Two Hunters’ being released by Southern Lord Records and with journalists unanimously singing their praises, it looks as though the secret is out.
And, elitists aside (yours truly arguably one of them), it is for the best that Wolves receive the attention they are due. Some critics persist in naming black metal a stagnant genre, so it remains the task of groups like WITTR to remind us of the enduring passion and ingenuity that black metal’s best exhibit.
One of the principle traits contributing to Wolves success is the source of their inspiration. Rather than the just typical themes of Satan, misanthropy, and despair, Wolves draws upon the primal forces in all of nature. The moon and the night are themes to be expected, of course, but WITTR are a much more complete representation. Beyond those traditional favorites, the Wolves’ music also tells of the flora and fauna of the forest as well as the very earth itself, and this universal reverence imbues their music with a terrible joy.
The core of this album is based around dense and grinding black metal, at which the band continues to improve, but the contrasting textures are what make ‘Two Hunters’ remarkable. As some others in the modern American scene have done, WITTR integrate some of the strophic dreaminess of post-rock, particularly for their six minute intro track, while another song, ‘Cleansing’, includes tender clean vocals from guest Jessica Kinney. More than just gimmicks, these features play directly upon the album’s contrasting themes of beauty, grace, barbarity, and power. And, with producer Randall Dunn at the helm, the contrasts mesh well with each other while still retaining their unique character.
‘Two Hunters’, like all WITTR releases, is of ambitious proportions—four tracks, nearly fifty minutes—and a few moments do drag a little, but never to distraction or boredom. Much more frequently, those epic passages are supremely crafted and could easily roll along forever, such as the tumbling riff at the climax of the second track.
Creative art is man’s most earnest form of homage, and the Wolves have succeeded in literally taking on the world as their subject. ‘Two Hunters’ deftly portrays the gentle ambiance of nature at rest, the weight of its dormant power, and the awesome fury that erupts when that power is awoken. The last album that tread this same path was called ‘Dead As Dreams’, now a hallowed name in black metal’s annals—if ever its successor were to arise from the Western coast, it would have to be Wolves in the Throne Room and ‘Two Hunters’.