Hailing from the Midwestern United States, blackened death metallists THRONE have recently released their second album, "Pestilent Dawn." Leaning in heavy to their black metal roots on this album, THRONE never relents, making for a most welcomed addition to any death metal fan's collection. From the brutal blast-beats to the shredding guitars, this album is some good down-tuned death metal all the way down to the grave-shaking growls.

"Amongst The Sinners, They Came Forth," the second song on "Pestilent Dawn," emphasizes the band's diversity and attention to detail. Although "Amongst The Sinners, They Came Forth," is a solid stand-alone, it's track four where THRONE really shows off their edge. "And They Shall Weep" is wrought with complexities, and in this reviewer's opinion, it's nothing less than utterly wicked. Giving the nod to early slam, it's an unquestionably intense song.

Throughout the whole album, THRONE successfully unites a plethora of diverse sub-genres into one cohesive entity. Nowhere is this more apparent than on the album's title track, "Pestilent Dawn." Sludge-infested grooves peek out from behind intensely mesmerizing drums and phenomenally sick vocals.

Another stand-out song on "Pestilent Dawn" is the eighth track of this ten-track album is the banger "Beyond Malice." A veritable homage to speed metal, this track is a hell ride into the darkness with plenty of twists and turns to keep the trip interesting. KOLLIN PERPIGNANI's drumming and NATHAN BARNES' vocals are not only intense on this song but play off of one another well here. Closing out the album is the track "Humanity's Dusk," an erotic horror track that puts the perfect ending onto a good black death metal album. This one is worth a listen, for sure.