Those Once Loyal
Bolt Thrower · 2005
39 min · 9 tracks · death metal
A relentless onslaught of heavy riffs and guttural growls, steeped in themes of war and humanity's struggles.
Top tracks — play these first
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Entrenched — This track exemplifies the album's aggressive tempo and intricate guitar work, encapsulating Bolt Thrower's ability to blend brutality with melody.
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Those Once Loyal — The title track serves as a poignant reflection on sacrifice and memory, showcasing the band's lyrical depth alongside their trademark heaviness.
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When Cannons Fade — Closing the album, this song delivers an emotional weight that contrasts with its ferocity, highlighting themes of loss in conflict while maintaining musical intensity.
Elevation
Our rating, out of 100 — and why.
AI-generated from five scored dimensions. An opinion, not a measurement.
The album delivers strong thematic content and solid craftsmanship, making it a notable entry in death metal.
What we noticed
- The album opens with a rapid-fire double bass drum pattern that sets an aggressive tone, maintained throughout the first half.
- Each track features layered guitar riffs that create a dense wall of sound, often alternating between slower, crushing sections and faster, chaotic bursts.
- The lyrics focus heavily on themes of warfare and human conflict, with each song presenting a narrative that complements the heavy instrumentation.
- Composition 25% of the score
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7/10
- Craft 20% of the score
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8/10
- Durability 25% of the score
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6/10
- Distinctiveness 18% of the score
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7/10
- Sequencing 12% of the score
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8/10
the writing — melody, harmony, structure, lyrics
production, performance, arrangement
whether it rewards returning to it
whether it sounds like itself
running order, pacing, length
Significant within its genre. Reported but not counted — how far a record travelled describes its reception rather than the record, and a newer release has had less time to travel than an older one.
Is this for you?
Good fit if you like
- steady mid-tempo intensity
- relentless energy for workouts
- immersive listening in order
- cathartic release of aggression
Maybe skip if you
- prefer quick, catchy tracks
- seek soft, mellow sounds
Where this album fits
- Career context
- Those Once Loyal is Bolt Thrower's seventh studio album, released during a period of resurgence after the band had taken a four-year hiatus. Following the release of their previous album, Honour-Valour-Pride in 2001, this record marked their return to form, showcasing their signature death metal sound while addressing themes of military conflict.
- Stylistic neighbors
- Cannibal Corpse· Obituary· Dying Fetus
Tracklist
Best experienced from track one — press play and let it unfold.
- 1 At First Light 4:38
- 2 Entrenched 3:41
- 3 The Killchain 4:41
- 4 Granite Wall 4:03
- 5 Those Once Loyal 4:14
- 6 Anti-Tank (Dead Armour) 4:15
- 7 Last Stand of Humanity 3:10
- 8 Salvo 5:18
- 9 When Cannons Fade 5:27
Reference: Wikipedia · MusicBrainz · Wikidata
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