True metal is going through something of a renaissance in the United States right now. Spearheaded by bands like Visigoth, Night Demon and of course Idle Hands, the genre has rapidly won back its place in the hearts of metalheads across the globe. Adventure One is Throne Of Iron’s entrance into this world of demons, dragons, rings, and kings, and they are fun, tongue in cheek and more than a little over the top. Even if there are clear limitations on their technical skill, especially with regards to the vocals, the band is clearly lined up for so much more. Adventure One drops on the eve of the band’s European debut and nicely consolidates much of what they have done thus far, for better or for worse.
What the listener needs to remember is that this project started as a drunken idea from frontman Tucker Thomasson which quickly turned into something much bigger. The project was initially inspired by the death of Manilla Road frontman Mark "The Shark" Shelton. With a demo released within just over a month of his passing, it was clear that there was a passion behind this project that made it just that much more virile. Again – this record isn’t necessarily a great one, and I think the band members would admit that. However, it is without a doubt chock-full of passion for the things that make metal… metal. Even though these guys are new to writing true metal, what they have unleashed here is full of ideas that radiate the joy of being in a metal band. One need not look any further than the flashy solo of a track like ‘Past The Doors Of Death’ to see that Throne Of Iron are here for all the right reasons.
Beyond that, there is a very real sense of humor throughout the record, be it in the cry of ‘Fuck it’ that kicks off the record after a dramatic call to adventure or even the simple ridiculousness of a song title like “The Fourth Battle Of The Ashen Plains”. Compared to an act like Lich King, the group isn’t necessarily crafting music to be funny. Instead, it comes across that they’re just self-aware of the inherent fun of this type of heavy metal. It helps to compensate for the limited production and still developing vocals. Throughout Adventure One, Throne Of Iron prove that sheer enthusiasm and dedication to true metal can bring the spoils.
Full to the brim of cheesy genre tropes, Throne Of Iron have executed in a way that is clearly meant to honor their sonic forefathers. It’s coming from musicians who have been so involved in this music for most of their lives that they understand the inherent silliness at hand. With this all in mind, Adventure One continuously shows that Throne Of Iron have a deep passion and skillset within the genre. Yes, there is plenty for them to polish up on future releases, however with constant singles being dropped (Seriously, check out their experiments in programmatic music!) and a healthy respect for “The Power Of Will” it seems Throne Of Iron will only improve. As for Adventure One, those of us who love true metal are going to be enamored with a group who have given themselves wholly to this music.
Score: 8/10
