Satyricon – The Shadowthrone (1994)

May 6, 2024

The importance of Shadowthrone for Satyricon cannot be understated. It is a record of progress, seemingly with the band taking massive strides since Dark Medieval Times, both in the complexity of their music and the delivery of said music via a cleaner production style. The production is of course still absolutely raw enough for fans of 90s black metal but expect a clear, balanced soundstage in which every instrument hangs in its own space, fully audible and enjoyable, which is a rarity for black metal, I can tell you that much.

A highlight of any Satyricon record is always going to be Frost’s drumming. His fills and accents are one thing, but his precision and accuracy is another. Fantastic work. Sonically, the strings and the keyboards that augment them all go together perfectly, the guitar like several frosted layers of tapestry. Vocally, this is a strong album for Satyr, too. I feel like Shagrath from Dimmu may have taken a lot of inspiration here for Enthrone Darkness Triumphant onwards.

Shadowthrone is an excellent record. I can only hope that the recent remaster brought some extra listeners back to this icy classic.