Review by SzejkElRopa on May 31, 2026.

Totenwache is a band I've been hearing a lot about recently, a lot of good things to be precise. At first glance, it looks as though it were a normal German black metal band: members in corpse paint, evil-looking cover, something with "Tot" in the name of the band and/or the album, and, obviously, lyrics in their native language. I expected sharp, aggressive music, and the impression proved accurate. However, this is not an average album.

The intro sets an eerie feeling, followed by a melancholic riff, which might indicate the atmospheric nature of the record. Well, the opening of the first 'real' song quickly proves otherwise. This album is a non-stop, fast-paced riff attack. For example, take a look at "Stahl & Schwefel", which bursts with energy and aggression, throwing one riff after another. Especially memorable is the chorus section, which is accompanied by a rapid, furious melody. This pattern is repeated further in other tracks, such as "Lichtkult", which I consider the highlight of the album, as it reaches its peak of aggression, remarkability, and, surprisingly, melodicity. Although Totenwache never ventures into the territory known to bands such as Vinterland. The song stands out immensely, notably with the middle section, which builds tension in a great way, and with the following quite melancholic riff. Speaking of melancholy, "Empathika" evokes such a feeling - it is a surprisingly slow-paced song. It is also very atmospheric due to the desolate howls which can be heard alongside the normal vocals. Despite its slow start, around the sixth-minute mark, it suddenly speeds up, and a very melodic, tremolo-picked riff (for this album) appears. Although the songs mostly repeat a similar pattern from the aforementioned "Stahl & Schwefel", they do not lack substance, and it is easy to tell them apart. "Der Bleiche Bastard" is yet another killer, striking a brutal note, aggressively carving itself into the listener's memory. "Das Schattenmeer" repeats the melancholic riff known from the intro and elegantly leads the album to the end, given the repetitive tremolo riffing.

What might immediately catch your attention upon listening to "Der Thron Der Uralten" first is the length of the album. It lasts almost 73 minutes, which is a rare occurrence, and if something like this happens, you'd find it in far more atmospheric, slower records. And given all that, a question arises - isn't this album overloaded? In my opinion, no, but I'd totally get why someone complained about that. This isn't an album telling a complex story about a wandering ghost in the forest or anything of that sort, which needs 16-minute songs with bagpipes, whistles, three instrumentals, and nobody knows what else. I treat this album like a great, big portion of riffs that I'd enjoy one after another; however, upon listening to this album in full, the last songs become slightly less entertaining. This obviously doesn't mean that the songs are bad; rather, I became overwhelmed with what I had already been given.

Totenwache doesn't play any new, experimental variation of black metal and prefers to stick to the well-known patterns. You won't find anything that sounds completely fresh and undoubtedly original, but something you've heard before, but insanely well-crafted and enjoyable. The riffs aren't anything technical, and usually are razor-blade sharp and half-melodic, with obvious exceptions. An example of this can be pointed out in "Unter Dem Banner Des Scharlachroten Königs" (crazy title), which excels at vehemence, especially combined with vocals. Although these are unfortunately only one-dimensional, except for those howls in "Empathika", they serve their role well, despite them being standard for the genre. The drummer almost always alternates between mid and fast tempo, leading the album well, enriching the experience with cymbals and fills. The substance is also added thanks to the slightly rawer production, which strikes a good balance between being clean and coherent and not being overly sterile. Lastly, the bass guitar can be heard in many places, and although this isn't the best audibility I've heard, it definitely enriches the sound.

To summarise, "Der Thron Der Uralten" is an experience filled with riffs, riffs, and once again, riffs. And some atmosphere, filled with aggression, vehemence, hostility, and the list goes on. Jokes aside, the album also shows its melancholic side. While the album's length may feel as though it were overloaded, it doesn't necessarily have to be the case here. Maybe the correct way to uncover all the secrets it has to offer is to divide it into two parts? That's a conclusion left for potential listeners. I give this album 8.8/10, because it gave me a lot of enjoyment, and potential flaws, such as no variety in vocals or the length, can be rather easily forgiven. Recommended for every fan of riff-driven, classic black metal who is not scared of having their head cut through by 73 minutes of relentlessly sharp music created by these Germans.

Rating: 8.8 out of 10