The fourth track sees the band letting their grunge flag fly. After hinting at it a couple of times throughout the opening songs, "Bahamut" lets loose wit a heavy sludge attack that seems to have been directly inspired by Alice in Chains, with perhaps a touch of Danzig. Listen as Galvez frees his vocal cords from the sludgy, blood-soaked shackles and delivers a haunting pained wail the late Layne Staley would have been proud of. Alice in Chains was always the "most metal" band to emerge the grunge scene, and this tune seems to play out what it might have been like had they gone all the way into metal territory.
If nothing else, Rhino keeps you guessing what is coming next while continuing to deliver on the promises made early on. Dead Throne Monarch is an absolutely punishing dose of relentless brutal metal. Listening to this is likely to cause bruises. With a total of ten tracks clocking in just north of seventy-minutes, there is ample opportunity to be drawn into the sludgy surge. Guaranteed to leave battered, beaten, and thoroughly satisfied.
Hailing from Spain, this trio has only been around since 2004, with this being their sophomore release, they are fast proving to be a band to keep an eye on. I am unsure how far into mainstream recognition they will go, but if there is justice they will be discovered.
Bottomline. This is one of those albums that jumps ahead early and is bound to be among my favorites come the end of the year. If you are a metal fan this is an absolute must own. There can be no questions. Dead Throne Monarch will be yours, you will recognize the excellence. It is inevitable.
Highly Recommended.
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