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I've been stalling on this one for a while now, with the album on regular rotation but never finding the words to review it. Usually that means something.

Trident Wolf Eclipse is Watain doing their black metal the way you expect them too, but with the years behind their belt showing in terms of songwriting, musicianship and overall quality. So, if you're expecting something über-raw and chaotic, this is not what you'll get here. Not that this makes the album any more accessible, as the usual ingredients are there: raspy, hate-filled vocals, haunting atmosphere, speed and heaviness aplenty, without forgetting to slow it down when it's called for and simply pinning you to the ground. Lots of variety makes repeated listen reveal bits and pieces that you might have missed before.

I can't say that this is an exciting album, but it's still some damn good black metal album and Watain have always been consistent at delivering that. I've been listening to Trident Wolf Eclipse long enough, often on repeat, to know that it has some staying power. In my book, that's better than "excitement" that often fades quickly.