Bolt Thrower- Those Once Loyal

Image via Bandcamp: https://boltthrower.bandcamp.com/album/those-once-loyal

Armed with a mastery over their instruments, Bolt Thrower blazed through the death metal scene with their hard and fast, no-fluff music. Over the span of their career, they established themselves as bearers of the essential death metal sound. Fans revere them for sticking to their guns and creating music that is powerful in its simplicity. Their lyrics expound on themes like war and brotherhood.

Those Once Loyal is Bolt Thrower’s final vestige. It features a barrage of bludgeoning guitar work reinforced by a prominent bass groove, fast-paced drums, and guttural vocals. The riffing is impeccable in its timing despite how rapid its delivery is. Its machine-gun preciseness emulates the sound of artillery and works the listener into a fury.

Although this is generally inaccessible music, I’m of the opinion that this album is much easier to get into than most death metal out there. For a novice, death metal can sound rather muddled, owing to its blast beats, multiple tempo changes, and frantic guitar work. Bolt Thrower, however, conveys blunt-force brutality with a simple, tightly composed approach.

The album’s war-centric lyrics are generalised enough for a listener to project their own subjective experiences. They revolve around themes like fighting against all odds, standing one’s ground, and experiencing moments of triumph and loss. Although a lot of the lyrics delve into the harsh realities of war, they also celebrate the spirit of brotherhood and resilience.

As Bolt Thrower’s last album, Those Once Loyal serves as the culmination of the band’s enduring power. Its propellant, relentlessly furious sound perfectly encapsulates the spirit of a warrior. In the band’s own words, “From day one we made it clear that we’d stop recording when we felt like we’d written the ultimate album. Our last release, ‘Those Once Loyal’ turned out to be that album.”