Review Summary: Power metal for English majors
I don’t think Thane to the Throne gets talked about enough when it comes to the best concept albums in metal. The American power metal veterans’ fifth full-length didn’t have the crossover appeal of something like Operation: Mindcrime nor the technical bombast of a Scenes from a Memory. It can be easy to overlook as the Macbeth-themed lyrics are often delivered in plain English and the extra symphonic touches can still feel like they come from a workman perspective. But with that established, those little quirks end up being what make it so strong.
For starters, the dedication to the narrative is certainly commendable. The presentation is as straightforward as a take on Shakespeare could get, hitting all the plot points through a series of first person perspectives that shows how each character’s inner monologue reflects the themes. It’s very easy to follow but not too condescending, even if a line like “BANQUO, NOW I SLAY THEE” can come off a little silly out of context.
Speaking of which, the vocals go a long way in fleshing out the details. Vocalist Harry Conklin’s powerful baritone commands attention throughout, fluctuating with each mood and character. Macbeth himself is treated with wary tension and wily fits of madness while others like Banquo and Macduff are given more level demeanors, and he even fills in Lady Macbeth’s lines with solidly integrated falsettos. The choir that represents the witches on “Three Voices of Fate” is an interesting interpretation; it may not be the deceptive shade one would traditionally expect from the role but the layering is still absolutely beautiful.
But at the end of the day, a power metal album is only as great as its songwriting and the band delivers in spades. Even if you aren’t concerned with the narrative, a song like “King at a Price” stands out with its fast choppy verses and sweeping singalong chorus. The more chug-friendly “Bloody Crime” and “Insanity’s Mind” also come out strong and I’ve always loved the more epic bits of mid-tempo battle metal on “Face of Fear” and “Fate’s Triumph.” Even the interludes do a great job of punctuating the moods with brief classical flourishes.
If anything, the worst I can say is that the bookending tracks don’t quite hit as hard as the others. “Thane of Cawdor” is a cool start with its building structure and grand chorus, but isn’t as ass-kicking as the tracks that follow. “Tragedy of Macbeth” is essentially an eight minute long recap of the story we just heard; it might be a little redundant and I wonder how it sound in the context of a different album, but it’s another great piece of music in its own right.
If Thane to the Throne isn’t the best album under the Jag Panzer banner, then it’s their most ambitious at the very least. Macbeth is among the most metal-friendly works of Shakespeare and the band makes it fit their established style, putting in enough classical touches and theatrical vocals but still dispensing plenty of powerful riffs and hooks. The storytelling methods can come off as a Metal SparkNotes at times (is SparkNotes still a thing?), but it’s also the sort of album whose grandiosity comes off as fun rather than exhausting. As a music nerd with an English degree, I’m always here for a good literary metal blend.
