Schletvalk
A Forlorn Throne
Whirlwind

Since releasing their debut album, ‘Falconry’ ten years ago Slechtvalk have earned themselves a reputation as one of the best black metal acts to come out of their native Holland. However after releasing three albums in five years it has taken the band another five years to produce their fourth and you have to wonder whether they will still be able to live up to that reputation.

Thankfully though they have, ‘A Forlorn Throne’ is a sharp reminder to many bands as to how to produce a quality black metal album. The opening track ‘Tamers Of The Seas’ is used to show the excellence that Slechtvalk possess, before the rest of the album deviates into more experimental territory. While the album is predominantly black metal, Slechtvalk experiment with some folk influences throughout with the results being rather good. ‘Allegiance’ and ‘Enthroned’ are great examples of where these influences are apparent, but lie just under the surface, there is even an early Amon Amarth feel to them. But it is tracks like ‘Bewailed’ that really set this album apart from most; this five-minute blast shows exactly why this band gained such a huge reputation so quickly.

Slechvalk have returned with a bang and brought with then an album that is focused, experimental, relevant and most importantly good. In fact ‘A Forlorn Throne’ is a great album and although it took them five years to produce it is certainly worth the wait and quite frankly a stark reminder to anyone who may have forgotten in those five years as to just what Slechtvalk can produce.

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Review by Simon Douglass