Throne of Molok - Chtonian A.E.O.N. 1010011010
Helvete & Hate - HH002 - April 2nd, 2007
By Michael Koger
Not too many bands would like to be called grimy, but I have a feeling Throne of Molok might find comfort in it. The band hails from the island of Sicily, and play a rather interesting mix of black, death, industrial and even punk. This combination leads me to think of bands such as The Axis of Perdition, V:28 and Dark Throne. Their first full length offering, Chtonian A.E.O.N. 1010011010, mixes these elements well. Lyrics of nuclear holocaust, human extermination and death are mixed with images of band members wearing gas masks and biohazard signs with fire and machinery in the background. These aesthetic approaches lend to the overall industrial/apocalyptic feel of the record. All of the tracks except for the last are under three minutes in length, so at times the songs seem to end abruptly. In spite of this, the songs are rather varied and well executed.
The album opens with an instrumental and is the first of a few. Electronics waver between atmospheric and techo like. The drums, too, at times sound programmed, but they are tasteful and don't detract from the music. There is plenty of double bassing and blast beats. As a whole, the album is mixed rather well, with the exception of the vocals being rather buried in the mix underneath all of the instruments and electronics. You can even hear the bass which is always nice. A few of the songs start off with just a bass and drums, giving a punk sound to them. It's this punk quality that reminds me of recent Dark Throne material (but with a cleaner production quality). 'Gamma (Souls)' is a nice dark ambient interlude that breaks up the album. This is in contrast with the opening instrumental, 'Silence', which was anything but quiet. The album ends on a somber and bleak note with the largely instrumental track, 'Micron'. It reminds me of Agalloch's 'Our Fortress Is Burning Pt:III' in the sense that the message of the track is to not comfort the listener or to provide hope. Rather, the track tells the listener that the future or the current world looks bleak and hopeless unless something is changed. Although, judging from Throne of Molok's lyrics throughout the album, it seems that the band is perfectly content with the extermination of the human race.
Chtonian A.E.O.N. 1010011010 is nothing spectacular, but it's a decent debut album from an interesting band. If you're into post-apocalyptic metal bands, then you should feel right at home with Throne of Molok.
Official Throne of Molok website
Helvete & Hate website
Helvete & Hate - HH002 - April 2nd, 2007
By Michael Koger
Not too many bands would like to be called grimy, but I have a feeling Throne of Molok might find comfort in it. The band hails from the island of Sicily, and play a rather interesting mix of black, death, industrial and even punk. This combination leads me to think of bands such as The Axis of Perdition, V:28 and Dark Throne. Their first full length offering, Chtonian A.E.O.N. 1010011010, mixes these elements well. Lyrics of nuclear holocaust, human extermination and death are mixed with images of band members wearing gas masks and biohazard signs with fire and machinery in the background. These aesthetic approaches lend to the overall industrial/apocalyptic feel of the record. All of the tracks except for the last are under three minutes in length, so at times the songs seem to end abruptly. In spite of this, the songs are rather varied and well executed.
The album opens with an instrumental and is the first of a few. Electronics waver between atmospheric and techo like. The drums, too, at times sound programmed, but they are tasteful and don't detract from the music. There is plenty of double bassing and blast beats. As a whole, the album is mixed rather well, with the exception of the vocals being rather buried in the mix underneath all of the instruments and electronics. You can even hear the bass which is always nice. A few of the songs start off with just a bass and drums, giving a punk sound to them. It's this punk quality that reminds me of recent Dark Throne material (but with a cleaner production quality). 'Gamma (Souls)' is a nice dark ambient interlude that breaks up the album. This is in contrast with the opening instrumental, 'Silence', which was anything but quiet. The album ends on a somber and bleak note with the largely instrumental track, 'Micron'. It reminds me of Agalloch's 'Our Fortress Is Burning Pt:III' in the sense that the message of the track is to not comfort the listener or to provide hope. Rather, the track tells the listener that the future or the current world looks bleak and hopeless unless something is changed. Although, judging from Throne of Molok's lyrics throughout the album, it seems that the band is perfectly content with the extermination of the human race.
Chtonian A.E.O.N. 1010011010 is nothing spectacular, but it's a decent debut album from an interesting band. If you're into post-apocalyptic metal bands, then you should feel right at home with Throne of Molok.
Official Throne of Molok website
Helvete & Hate website
