Withered Throne – Enantiodromia
Release Date: 9th December 2022
Label: Self Released
Bandcamp
Genre: Technical Blackened Death Metal, Blackened Death Metal, Technical Death Metal.
FFO: Unaligned, Inferi, Aronious, A Loathing Requiem.
Review By: Eric Wilt
The worst part about releasing an album in December is that most of the album-of-the-year lists are already full. Withered Throne, which is a blackened technical death metal band from Florida, will no doubt fall victim to this bad timing because their debut record, Enantiodromia, is an album worthy of many a year-end list. Headed up by guitarist/vocalist Andrew Guia, and rounded out by bassist Taylor Tidwell (Unaligned, ex Accursed Creator, Etheorist), and two drummers, Chason Westmoreland (The Faceless, Demon King, Equipoise), and Jack Blackburn (Unaligned, ex Demon King, ex Inferi, Killitorous), Withered Throne plays music that is going to get fans of bands like Inferi, Aronious, and A Loathing Requiem very excited.
There are a number of genres being melded into the final product that is Enantiodromia. The base of Withered Throne’s sound is the technical death metal that allows Andrew Guia to show his chops. Guia, who moonlights as a vocalist in fellow technical death metal band Unaligned, proves that he is adept at everything from heavy chugging to fleet-fingered shredding. Tyranny Inflamed, Echelons of Insanity, and A Rapturous Infinity are top tier works of technical death metal goodness and will no doubt have labels like The Artisan Era chomping at the bit. The next component of the Withered Throne sound is the blackened elements that are especially apparent in songs like the title track, which features piano work by Brutal Keys, and Apophenia, which sees guest vocals from Mac Smith (Hammer of Dawn, ex Krosis, Decrepit Birth) and a guitar solo played by Chris Bradley of Beneath the Massacre fame. The final key to the Withered Throne puzzle is the heaviness and intensity of deathcore that Guia infuses his project with. Although Withered Throne never crosses over into actual deathcore territory, there are zero breakdowns on the album, there are times when the chugging guitars and overarching emotion of the songs bring a level of ferocity to the music that is seen in many deathcore tracks. The middle of Earth Entombed is a good example of this.
When I initially heard a sample of Enantiodromia online, the music was so exciting that I jumped at the opportunity to review it. As I read the biographic material that accompanied the release, I was surprised to find that Withered Throne was unsigned. I’m glad I got to review the album because it was every bit as good as I was expecting, and I doubt they will remain unsigned for long. If you’re a fan of technical death metal, especially the bands on The Artisan Era, then Enantiodromia is for you. And, who knows, maybe there’s still time for Withered Throne to wind up on a year-end list or two after all.
(4 / 5)
