Primordial Arcana
Primordial Arcana brings Wolves in the Throne Room's aggressive and atmospheric sides close together. Fast drums and harsh guitars remain the foundations, with keyboards and small acoustic details given a clear place. The record sounds broad without continually requiring enormous compositions. Its strength lies mainly in how those sounds meet.
Mountain Magick opens with a threatening, slightly psychedelic atmosphere before the drums increase the drive. The guitars carry a recognisable melodic line, while the rough voice keeps the music abrasive. The song provides a clear entrance without making its dark surroundings friendly.
Spirit of Lightning uses plucked strings to give the sound additional depth. Underworld Aurora allows more room for measured, sombre movement. Keyboards contribute substantially to the whole. They colour the heavier passages as well as the spaces between them, helping the album's different sides remain connected.
Masters of Rain and Storm receives the greatest space. Its extended development connects heavy and melodic sections before the acoustic side becomes more prominent. That makes it feel like a clear centrepiece. Eostre then uses gentler sounds and flute to reveal another side of the same atmosphere.
Not everything maintains tension equally well. Through Eternal Fields can move slowly without introducing enough fresh ideas to balance it. The approach also feels more familiar than surprising. However, Primordial Arcana remains convincing when heard as a whole. Guitar melodies, forceful drumming and carefully chosen gentler sounds give it sufficient individual weight. Wolves in the Throne Room needs no new direction to make its familiar combination work well here, even if the strongest moments carry more purpose than some of the passages connecting them.
