| Wolves in the Throne Room | |
|---|---|
| Origin | Olympia, Washington, United States |
| Genres | Black metal |
| Years active | 2003–present |
| Labels | Southern Lord |
| Associated acts | Asunder Dystopia Ludicra Fauna Middian |
| Website | wittr.com |
| Members | |
| Nathan Weaver Aaron Weaver |
|
Wolves in the Throne Room (WITTR) is an American black metal band formed in 2003 in Olympia, Washington.[1]
According to the band, one of the founding concepts of WITTR is to channel the "energies" of the Pacific Northwest's landscape into musical form.[1]
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The main members of Wolves in the Throne Room are brothers Aaron and Nathan Weaver. In an interview, Nathan Weaver says that he conceived the vision for the band and wrote the first two songs "Wolves in the Throne Room" and "Black Tea" at an Earth First! rendezvous in the Gifford Pinchot National Forest in 2002.
In 2003, the band moved to a dilapidated 1910 farmstead called Calliope outside Olympia.[2][3] They have often stated that the creation of their farm-stronghold was linked to their early musical progression.[3] Aaron Weaver's wife Megan grows organic vegetables at Calliope.[1][4] The band has expressed bemusement at the mythology that surrounds them, specifically regarding the band's rural lifestyle. From an interview with Pitchfork:
I'm sure that some people who meet us are disappointed that we don't dress in un-tanned hides and dwell in caves, while others are surprised that the farm... and our struggle to create a life that mirrors the energy of our music is quite real.[5]
The band's first release was their 2004 demo. The demo was a black CDR wrapped in fur with moss inside the lyric sheet.[6]
Diadem of 12 Stars was their first studio album, released in 2006.[7] It was recorded by Tim Green at Louder Studios in San Francisco.[3][8]
Their next release was Two Hunters (2007). Two Hunters was the first time the band worked with producer Randall Dunn, who has produced all their subsequent releases. During the Two Hunters sessions, the band began to work with analog synthesizers, which has become a crucial feature in the band's sound.[1]
Black Cascade was released in March 2009.[9] After the release of Black Cascade, the band began a period with touring in the United States and Europe.
The band's latest album Celestial Lineage was released on September 13, 2011 and is the third installment in a trilogy that began with Two Hunters. Music critic Brandon Stosuy described Celestial Lineage as "American black metal's idiosyncratic defining record of 2011". [10]
WITTR were picked by Godspeed You! Black Emperor for the 2011 All Tomorrow's Parties festival in Minehead, UK.
Their sound is influenced by Scandinavian black metal,[2][3] doom metal, dark ambient, crust punk, and folk music. WITTR has often cited American band Neurosis as a key inspiration because their music "operates on a deep and intense mythic level".[2][11] They have also mentioned synthesizer artists like Popol Vuh as an influence.[12]
Wolves in the Throne Room has rejected most of the traditional elements of black metal such as corpse paint, pseudonyms and satanic imagery.[2][13] Drummer Aaron Weaver has said "Wolves in the Throne Room is not black metal, or, more accurately we play black metal on our own terms, for our own reasons."[14]
The band is well-known for their interests that lie beyond the usual topics of black metal, such as radical ecology, bio-dynamic farming and creating a nature-based occult worldview.[15][16][17][18] The band's lyrics focus on themes of Apocalypse, transformation and modern society's lost connection with the natural world.[5]
The band's music has been described as "eco-metal", "organic metal", "astral black metal" and "cascadian black metal".[5][19][20][21]
Unlike most modern metal bands, Wolves in the Throne Room always use vintage amplifiers and recording equipment. They mentioned in one interview that they despise modern recording techniques such as looping and drum triggers.[22]
WITTR are well known for performing outdoors or in venues that are lit only with firelight.[15] They do not allow flash photography at their shows [23]
The band hates moshing and violence at their shows because they see their music as meditative rather than aggressive. Aaron Weaver has stated that he wants people to "lay on the floor and cry".[1]
They have said that starting in 2010 they will tour with their own public address system so they won't be forced to play at traditional venues. They have often advocated a do-it-yourself approach to music.[1]