Band:	Thorns
Album:	Thorns
Style:	Industrial black metal
Release date:	February 2001

01. Existence
02. World Playground Deceit
03. Shifting Channels
04. Stellar Master Elite
05. Underneath The Universe I
06. Underneath The Universe II
07. Interface To God
08. Vortex

At first glance, you get the impression that Thorns is one of those bands who have unfortunately fallen just under the radar. But upon further inspection, you find that Thorns (or at least Snorre) are right inside the eye of the Norwegian storm. And Thorns is one of those albums which whip up storms of cataclysmic proportions.

The most lucrative trait of the album is a fairly simple one: it has great riffs. The entire album is just laden with amazingly enjoyable guitar work. From the second the album starts till the very end, you will find yourself helplessly head-banging and foot-tapping. This trait in itself is more than sufficient for making a record thoroughly enjoyable. Thus, it is pretty remarkable that Thorns actually brings much, much more to the table. Namely, the atmosphere and the overall ambiance. The album evokes that surreal, unnerving feeling you get when you are unceremoniously exposed to vastness of any open space; it leaves you breathless.

Even though it plays a huge part in it, the vacuum like atmosphere can't just be accredited to the gloriously articulated moments of silence alone. The tone of the guitars adds to it, the jagged and menacing vocal performance adds to it. The album practically reeks of it in every possible way. But all these void like elements do give rise to one qualm. It makes the album a little too airy. The tracks become a little too light-hearted. I constantly find myself yearning for the sound to just crush and suffocate me. This is also due to the production; the tracks don't have the characteristic distorted production we are used to in a black metal album. Instead the band employs a very crystal clear production, which also has its positives. This kind of production does help alleviate the atmosphere the album strives to induce.

All in all, it is astonishing what wonders a bunch of delicious riffs laden with just the perfect atmosphere does for you (and to you). Thorns brilliantly showcases just that.