Review THRON “Vurias”

From the deep woods of the Black Forest, mystical metal riffs are conquering the world. That might be a slightly exaggerated description, but what Thron deliver on their latest album, “Vurias”, is stunning black metal worth listening to.

Thron formed in 2015 and released their self-titled debut album in 2017. This album led to the band signing a deal with Listenable Records, and the French label released their second record. “Vurias” is the Swabian metal force’s fourth album to date, and their most mature yet.

Thron’s music has its roots in the Scandinavian metal scene. The music can be described as blending death metal with black metal, or vice versa. Traditional metal elements, as in “Hubris’ Crown”, add a nice twist to the blackened foundation, showcasing the variety of influences embedded in their music.

“Hubris’ Crown” is certainly one of the most accessible songs for a wider group of metalheads, while more extreme metal fans will appreciate the furious opener “The Serpent’s Path” with its massive blastbeat sections. Even during these hellish outbursts, a great sense of melody cannot be denied, and it is the combination of black-hearted heaviness and melody that widens the scope of Thorn’s musical delivery.

Thorn shows that immense intensity does not require speed. The snail-paced “A Paradox” with its eerie mood and frantic sections demonstrates that it is the combination of various elements that makes a song a great musical piece.

The latter also serves as the foundation for “Ungemach (Stilles Ende)”. The song features a guest appearance by Zingultus (Endstille, Naglfar), making this 9-minute epic a centrepiece of “Vurias”. Starting slowly and atmospherically, the song turns into another hard-hitting black metal track that showcases the band’s musical talent and songwriting skills. There isn’t a second of boredom or tiredness within these nine minutes. Thorn adds finesse and detail to this tune, making it shine in black.

Next up is “One Truth, One Light”, followed by the enraged “Griefbearer”. The pulsating beat of the abyss resonates throughout “The Hunter and the Prey”, a versatile song. The second half of the track begins with a calmer section, with the keyboards taking centre stage. The moment the saxophone kicks in, it becomes obvious that Thron is a band with a wider musical vision than just producing off-the-shelf metal.

“Vurias” is an album that belongs among the highlights of black metal in 2025 so far. With a more diverse approach than relying solely on blastbeats, Thron has managed to create a diabolical musical milestone. The black soul that fuels these ten songs echoes through each track, casting a spell over listeners. This album will appeal even to fans who don’t usually listen to black metal.