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Forget about fancy premieres, polished releases and clever marketing strategies for a second, and get ready for a hefty dose of raw, uncensored and unfiltered hardcore-centered and nu-metal-infused modern metalcore from the heart of Sweden. Long anticipated, we are finally presented with the punchy attention-demanding EXCESSIVE GUILT, the debut album by the unpretentious yet completely unstoppable heavyhitters thrown, a fitting title capitalisation contrast for a band that has quietly stormed the modern metal world just several years ago but are now refusing to let go of the throne.
Backed by Arising Empire since their inception in 2021, thrown immediately became a must-check future talent with several neck-snapping ragers that culminated in their debut EP EXTENDED PAIN (2022). Fuelled by Buster Odeholm's relentless drumming and production vision, as well as Marcus Lundqvist signature vocal swagger and stage attitude, thrown are rightfuly one of the hottest names across the entire scene and all its contemporary branches, with an LP finally out to fully and unapologetically support that claim.
Thrown quickly became an overnight sensation, partly due to Odeholm's preceding reputation as the driving engine of the thunderous juggernauts Humanity's Last Breath and the proggy cult heroes Vildhjarta, as well as countless production credits, but also because they are just uncompromisingly good. I am all up for diverse influences, rich post-production and alternative ideas, but sometimes all you need is a proper right-in-your-face metalcore, the one that takes the '-core' part seriously, and thrown are just for the occasion.
As short as faultless, EXCESSIVE GUILT barely crosses the 20-minute mark and yet delivers some of the best contemporary metalcore ragers we have heard in years. A coordinated 0-fucks-given assault on the senses, dropped with sobering attitude and infectious energy, the album comes out out of nowhere and leaves without a sign. It is packed with bouncy riffs and huge grooves, an unstoppable tirade dropped with instrumental mastery and vocal control, and finished to perfection with all subtle post-production tricks at disposal in 2024.
Genre-wise, EXCESSIVE GUILT is as close to classic hardcore as it is to traditional nu metal, whilst maintaining a healthy distance from both, masterfuly escaping predictability and boredom, and avoiding unnecessary labels. Add in moments of groove metal brilliance, rapcore flows, djenty vives, industrial atmosphere, all packed in a tight metalcore framework and garnished with characteristic DIY charm, and you get one of the most deliberate, purposeful and significant record released in years, albeit the shortest.
Oblivious to the norm, the record jumps between ideas without hesitation, flirts with genre expectations, defies established tropes and leaves you hungry for more in the process. The individual tracks are all relentless bangers, all 10 apart from the lead rager 'guilt' shorter than 2:30, with some pit-starters like 'look at me' and 'vent' ending at 1:30, and the moody 'ignored' operating at just one minute. An absolute perfection, nothing more, nothing less, from the opening powerful display across 'on the verge', 'backfire' and 'nights' to the concluding punches of 'bloodsucker', 'vent' and 'so done'.
All things considered, thrown play like a hardcore veterans but write tracks like metalcore trendsetters, act like nu metal prodigies but perform like death metal legends, all done with a Scandinavian attention detail and certain European flair, and the result is expectedly irresistable. The thrown hype is real and justified, and EXCESSIVE GUILT is a gift for any modern metal enthusiast out there with nothing more to desire.
It is hardly the album expected to come out of traditional melodeath-driven Sweden, but Odeholm is determined to single-handedly break the stereotypes. The self-appointed king of the modern European core sound, the guy stands proudy behind some of the finest recent releaseses and keeps on redifining the genre so long may he reign and let his thrown remain as badass as they are in their debut.
thrown - 'EXCESSIVE GUILT'
Country: Sweden
Released: 30 August 2024
Label: Arising Empire
Tracklisting:
1. guilt
2. backfire
3. on the verge
4. bitter friend
5. nights
6. look at me
7. dislike
8. ignored
9. bloodsucker
10. vent
11. so done
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