It becomes abundantly clear with “Thorns of Existence” that Sulphur aren’t afraid to push the envelope and, as a result, this album is a journey into a dark and wretched insanity – fuelled by a healthy mix of Black Metal, Death Metal, hints of Thrash and guitar solos. The short but sweet solo in “True Father of Lies” could be looked over at first, but the tone is beautiful and it brings a whole other (slightly unexpected) dimension to the music.
“Thorns of Existence” is not a record for the faint of heart. It’s an album that will knock you off your feet when it needs to, creep you out when it feels it’s necessary (there’s a particular section in “The Purifying Flames” that I love for this) and leave you utterly baffled at points. The important thing is that it does this in an entirely enjoyable way. No matter how many times I’ve listened to it, it just isn’t enough. It’s insanely addictive.
Album highlights? Well, it’s astoundingly good from beginning to end, but “Luna Noctiluca” deserves a special mention.
This album may not win over Black Metal purists on first listen, but if you’re looking for something a little progressive, then this is for you. You need this in your collection – you certainly won’t regret it!
Rating: 96%
(Choosing my top albums for 2010 is going to be ridiculously tough!)
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[...] 25, 2011 in Featured, Interview I’ve played Sulphur’s “Thorns in Existence” multiple times since it was released – especially in the last couple of months for some [...]