Customer Reviews

Those Once Loyal

5 star:		(13)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Those once Loyal is a return to Bolt Throwers signiture sound and is a much better then its predecessor, "Honour, Valour, Pride." Willts returns to the band on Vocals, and BT fans will be pleased that the band hasnt gone soft and this might be the best release since "Mercenary". Every song is a crunching kick in the b**ls and in my opinion, is second only to Slayer as the greatist metal band EVER. If you are unfamiler with the band, this album and "Warmaster" is a great place to start. ENJOY

This album rocks. Karl is on his game with the vocals -- the growls are deeper than Mercenary and For Victory, and better than Ingram on Honour, Valour, Pride. The guitar sound is similar to the last 2 albums, but heavier with more bass. The songs are mostly medium to medium-fast, unlike Mercenary which was slow, and Honour, Valour, Pride which had a lot of slow ones also. I'd put this album in my top 3 -- Warmaster - #1, IVth Crusade - #2, Those Once Loyal - #3.

This album is refreshing in its straight-forward brutality. Bolt-Thrower have definitely managed to keep their breed of death metal alive, and with the return of Karl Willetts to the line-up, it has certainly meant a return to form for many loyal fans.

This album is heavy. The riffage is thick, and the drums are pummeling (especially on the faster tracks). I'll be honest and say that I prefer the faster tracks, but the slower ones are still good and are meaty in a way that only Bolt-Thrower know how to do. 'Those Once Loyal' is a hefty slab of old school death metal, and provides a nice alternative once in a while to all the crazy tech death metal going on these days...

Ahh, Bolt Thrower. What's not to like about them? They're like the History Channel death metal band. Their lyrical content soley deals with war and epic battles. They are also probably a candidate for the award of "Most consistent death metal band of all time." As one reviewer claimed, "[Bolt Thrower] is like you're favorite pizza. The box may have changed but it is still the same tasty product inside."

For this album, original storyteller/vocalist Karl Willets is back after the band tried to co-opt ex-Benediction front man Dave Ingram who later had to jump ship for medical reasons. The most standout thing about this Bolt Thrower release is the guitar riffs and some of the paces they decided to use in certain songs. Even with these two things, it is still the same death/grind band as it always was. In fact, the only style change people comment on is that for their first three albums they had a slightly faster pace in the songs as opposed to the "IV Crusade" (and after) slightly slower pace. I don't really look at that as much of a change in sound and anyone who demands Bolt Thrower put a couple blast beats here and there really likes a one dimensional style. I like all Bolt Thrower albums but just because a drummer can play the hi-hat, snare, and bass drum all at the same time doesn't make any band amazing.

Great riffs, original vocalist back, a cool bass line here and there, sometimes a funky beat (4th track), and top notch production to boot. Those new to the band would be better served to check out 1991's "Warmaster" instead and then come back to this album afterwards. On the other hand, seasoned foot soldiers in this bands fan battalion would be very well served to pick this up.

Miss the original drummer, no blast beats, nice and catchy and groovy but a bit bland, I miss the fast drives and the assaults, can't go wrong though - it is Bolt Thrower!

Having been a Death Metal, Thrash, etc fan all my life, I have no idea how I looked over Bolt Thrower! I just picked up this album and I am impressed! It's the perfect combination of Death/Thrash/Grindcore!

Tons of great riffs, great structure, and lyrics. If you're already a Bolt Thrower fan, you will certainly not be disappointed. If you are not yet a fan, you will be!

Where do I start? This album is superb from beginning to end. At First Light is a blazing opener. It begins with an ominous intro and then speeds up with some great guitar playing by Baz Thomson and Gavin Ward. This album is really the first time Jo Bench's bass playing has been so clear. The basslines are killer so I'm glad that listeners can actually hear it well. Martin Kearns has some real skills on the drums, sometimes reaching inhumanly fast speeds. Those Once Loyal also has a good mix of songs that are slower (but still heavy) such as The Killchain and faster songs such as Anti-Tank. I know it has been talked about a lot, but I feel I should mention it for those of you who are new to Bolt Thrower. This album marks the long-awaited return of vocalist Karl Willetts who was with the band during its inception in 1986. Don't get me wrong; Dave Ingram wasn't a bad replacement. In fact, he did pretty well on Honour, Valour, Pride. But I just feel (and many BT fans will agree) that Karl Willetts is just the right man for the job. When Willetts left the band, a piece of the band went with him. But now he's back with a vengeance! My favorite songs on here are At First Light, The Killchain, and Granite Wall, but they are all good. I think this is Bolt Thrower's best album to date. That says a lot for a death metal band who has been around for nearly 20 years. To still be making your best material 20 years into your career (only a select few death metal bands last that long anyway) speaks volumes about the character of this band. For Bolt Thrower fans and death metal fans in general, this album WILL NOT DISAPPOINT!!!

Karl's Back!!! You were missed.

Lots of good melodies on this one, those were sorely missing from H.V.P.

To sum up this album, I'll use B.T.s own words from track 2.

"In a world of compromise - SOME DON'T!"

I always look forward to each new Bolt Thrower album. It has been a few years since they put out Honor Valour Pride and this release is long overdue. But it was worth the wait.

This album has all the stuff you would expect from them yet it also has some new tweaks and enhancements that make each song shine. There are more lead solos, a variety of intro and outros, and a great bass solo from Jo Bench!

I just regret that they cannot tour the states and I understand why. I would sure love to see them play this music live as it would be a great show.

For those that like consistent death metal with just a bit of tweaks thrown in to keep it interesting, this album does it in spades. There is no mistaking their sound. Highly recommended.

Bolt Thrower is back, with Karl leading the assault, in their most brutal offering in a while. It's the same old Bolt Thrower that you know, and, if you're a fan, then you know that's a good thing. Karl does an excellent job, after being gone for seven years. The bass is also really good on this album; Joe's snarling bass lines really come through. Those Once Loyal is, all in all, another perfect entry into the Bolt Thrower legacy.