Bolt Thrower
The IVth Crusade

THE REVIEW

Among the many death metal bands that definitely deserved more success, how can we not mention the English band Bolt Thrower? These five folks from Coventry (actually four men and one lady), like many of their overseas colleagues, debuted at the end of the '80s showcasing a sound influenced by the grind of their friends Napalm Death. History then teaches us that their primordial death/grind transformed into pure death metal (as happened, more or less, for Carcass, Napalm Death, and Benediction).

In 1991, the band released the legendary "War Master", which to this day is considered their masterpiece and one of the highest points reached by death metal worldwide, followed in '92 by "The IVth Crusade". In my opinion, we are dealing with an album better than its predecessor: better in sound, more rounded and fuller compared to the already booming "War Master"; also better in musicians' technique, with more “considered” guitar riffs with a doom flavor, while the drummer, despite using basic grooves, fits perfectly with the album's atmosphere, slow and dark, with the relentless advance characteristic of Bolt Thrower. Not least, the vocalist Karl Willets, whose rough and low growl lends solemnity to the work. The lyrics are remarkable, as usual centered on war, but this time it’s not about “unknown powers unleashed on humanity,” this time the battle is real and recorded in history books: the theme is the Crusades.

The title track is enough to understand the direction taken throughout this album: dark riffs alternate with classic all-out assaults, and so it goes for 53 minutes, during which we find nods to "War Master" ("Cenotaph" and "Embers" ring a bell?) but also tracks where a compelling power emerges ("Where Next to Conquer") or unexpected solemnity ("As the World Burns") and there’s room for a reflection on the horrors of war ("Through the Ages").
To endorse this stylistic maturation, there is also the abandonment of the Games Workshop-branded artwork in favor of a work by Eugène Delacroix. All in all, a good disc of uncompromising death metal: recommended for Bolt Thrower fans and those looking for something different from the usual.

P.S.: if you get the reissue, you’ll also find the excellent “Crown of Life” and “Lament” as bonus tracks ;-).