Info
- Band(s): Dethroned
- Label(s): Dominance of Darkness Records
- Release Format(s): 12" vinyl, Cassette, CD
- Release Year: 2023
- Review Date: February 21, 2024
- Author(s): Vishapagir
‘A Bridge to Eternal Darkness’ is the second full-length effort by German Black Metal band Dethroned, who have been around since the 90’s. Cards on the table, I almost didn’t give the release a shot after the opening riff on ‘Come to Me.’ It’s just one of those Black Metal riffs which we’ve all heard a thousand times. But perhaps that’s exactly what the band was aiming for. Nevertheless, what piqued my interest was the production. Everything on this album is clearly audible, especially the bass guitar. And that’s a relief, because the bass player has some unique leaks up his sleeve and it’s a treat to hear them on the album. In fact, the rhythm section behind Dethroned is the highlight of this release. Both the drums and the bass give the entire thing a tight backbone – rendering it at least somewhat listenable for me. The track ‘Void,’ for example, has some serious drum work.
The songs in general don’t tread far from standard Black Metal, neither do the vocals. You’ve got your blast beats, thundering double bass, tremolo-picking galore, fierce (yet tiringly familiar) vocals, and the whole second wave package which is served in a pretty straight-forward manner. There is an oddball piano-driven track called ‘Descent’ which doesn’t really fit anywhere on the album, especially considering that the track before it (‘Ruf der Tiefe’) is a banger and the one after it already starts with a slower tempo – making ‘Descent’ an unnecessary filler track which is more of a momentum-killer than a build-up.
Is ‘A Bridge to Eternal Darkness’ a genre classic? Not by a long shot. Is it a bad album? Not really. Think of it like the 4th Die Hard film. You know it’s not going to be as good as the first three, but you know it will definitely be a fun ride – even if you watch it once.
