Wolves In The Throne Room surely needs no introduction, right? This American black metal band from the Olympia, Washington area has been deeply connected to nature since its founding. As such, you could perhaps consider them (along with a select few others) the founders, or at least the refiners, of what is also known as Cascadian black metal.
Estuary is the band’s eighth album and the follow-up to Primordial Arcana. The band led by the Weavers had already won me over twenty years ago with Diadem Of 12 Stars and the following year with Two Hunters. Once again, the band recorded much of the album at their own Owl Lodge studio in Olympia. The drums, however, were recorded elsewhere at
The Unknown. This is a studio located in a building that formerly served as a church in Anacortes, in Washington. I am curious to see what kind of character that added to the drum parts.
What makes this Wolves In The Throne Room so strong is their entirely unique character, their entirely unique spirit. Not just being very close to nature, but becoming one with it, that’s how I interpret their compositions. Narrative, story-telling riffs, sometimes dreamy soundscapes, somewhat dustier drums, and vocals that seem to be smeared throughout. Unfortunately, the band has moved away somewhat from long songs in recent years. Telling a complex story in a short amount of time isn’t always easy. I’m curious to see what their latest work has to offer in that regard.
When you stand at the estuary of a river, you’ll likely feel a sense of calm. You’re soothed by nature, the forests, the flora and fauna, and also by the rippling water. Estuary truly captures that essence in its entirety. I already mentioned the familiar elements above, and they’re definitely present from the very first note. It’s also wonderful how the production has once again captured the robustness of the songs; powerful! A meandering but above all deeply haunting, mesmerizing lead part then takes you by the hand and propels you toward a tight blast in Kings Of Tiamat. Other sounds envelop you almost immediately and seem to come from a distant past. It’s the clean, choir-like vocals that convey that feeling.
The band has also always been very good at conveying their nature-focused message. You can really feel this resonate in Foretold In Reflections, a track with some doom-like elements that truly draws you into the surroundings of Olympia. Then listen to those wonderfully gritty-sounding toms that kick off the mighty The Orca Riffs. Propelled by an elusive force, this track stands out as one of the most interesting on the album. The hauntingly pounding Ghosts Among The Obelisks, with its slightly deeper vocals, is also not to be missed. With a wonderfully gritty and obscure sound, the band brings their eighth full-length album, Wretched Spirits, Land Of The Light, to a close.
With Estuary, the American band Wolves In The Throne Room truly breathes new life into the Cascadian black metal scene. Once again, the compositions are outstanding and very powerful. My only complaint is that I’d like the songs to be a bit longer, so you get just a little more of that feeling of wandering through soundscapes.
Score:
90/100
Label:
Relapse Records, 2026
Tracklisting:
- Estuary
- Knights Of Tiamat
- Foretold In Reflections
- The Orca Cliffs
- Ghosts Among The Obelisks
- Wretched Spirits, Land Of The Light
Line-up:
- Nathan Weaver – Vocals, guitar
- Aaron Weaver – Drums, synths, vocals
- Kody Keyworth – Guitar, vocals
- Galen Baudhuin – Bass, vocals
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