Review by Jeger on October 10, 2026.

Nature is waiting… Waiting for Humanity's demise so it can take back what is belonged. The tranquility of population's minimus: no war, no crime, no industry or Earth-raping technology. What will be left are monuments of our twisted existence; devoid of harmony; devoid of peace. Our presence is a contrast to the natural world and as of now, our Planet is attempting to heal itself as fast as we are destroying it. Only a matter of time before the wrath of the Four Winds tears through the fabric of our existence; leaving in their wake the regret of a thousand years, the whispers of our dying children…

The Pacific Northwest is a place where Black Metal thrives. Its unforgiving weather patterns and awe-inspiring natural landscapes along with some of the locale's deep spiritual/tribal roots have been the subject of many a BM album. From Inquisition to UADA and from Hulder to Wolves In The Throne Room, a Mecca for the blackened arts.

Wolves In The Throne Room is an Atmospheric Black Metal band hailing from Olympia, Washington, USA formed in 2002 by brothers, Aaron and Nathan Weaver. Their propensity for creating BM of the most surreal, captivating variety has placed them among the International greats: Grima, Sear Bliss, Saor and Summoning. All albums recorded in analog - the ancient way - preserving the notion that true Black Metal is deserving of no less and on October 23, Wolves In The Throne Room will release their new Opus, "Estuary", via Relapse Records.

Remember the first paragraph when I got all poetic about the downfall of Humanity? Who hasn't thought about what it would be like to be one of the last people on Earth? My first stop would be the Dispensary! But seriously it would be like the release of a very tense breath, a breath of relief in the form of the gusting winds through the Forest canopy and the air as fresh as morning dew. Such is the conceptual nature of "Estuary". The album opens with the title-track and right away you sense the difference between this album and WITTR' previous "Primordial Arcana" LP: darker, rougher and colder. Sound quality is soothing like the cool side of the pillow; a textured and malleable ambiance. Recording in this way is an art; one that our Olympian friends here are versed in.

"Knights Of Tiamat" - this ode to the primordial Goddess of the Sea, the Mother of the Gods unfolds at a patient tempo; allowing for the full absorption of the sound just before blast-beats and racing guitar riffs along with ghostly chorales create a multi-layered experience. All of this is a nice counterbalance to the vocals, which are of the brutish, primitive kind. From ethereal to primal and with so much in between, "Estuary" is guaranteed to satisfy even the most complicated of palates. Soaring one moment and dragging the next, all the while as the atmosphere inhales/exhales magnificent energy. Just lost in it now…

Don't call it raw, certainly do not say that it is clean. Drudkh? Hmm… "Foretold In Reflections" delivers a similar vibe with this folkish sort of opening minute where I'm reminded of albums like "Blood In Our Wells" and Drudkh' latest album, "Shadow Play". A warm and cozy sort of track that enthralls with rhythm and soothes with melody. In this post-Humanity Utopia, the few Humans that are left have formed tribes and worship a Wind Turbine… Makes sense. I'm sure stranger shit has happened. There's also this very melancholy feeling to much of what's going on here, particularly with "Ghosts Among The Obelisks" as the intro hits like a rain-drenched morning until the pace picks up and more of those blissful melodic compositions are realized.

If you've never been a fan of this band, "Estuary" will change that. This is for discerning enthusiasts with exacting standards when it comes to the music they put into their brains and the expression, "true Atmospheric BM" never sounded so fitting. Repent! Or don't… Not like it matters because once Mother Nature decides to reclaim what is rightfully hers, there will be nowhere to hide. Do I give a shit about the Planet? I honestly don't, but I'm a man who appreciates his peace and quiet. Can all of you fucks just extinct yourselves tonight? The time for "Estuary" is nigh! The time for a greater appreciation of the timeless art of Black Metal as inspired by one of the key players in the Pacific Northwest scene.

Rating: 8.5 out of 10