Today I’ll actually look at something from the 21^st Century for once and also have a look at what, in general, stands as the final recorded track of one of death metal’s most legendary acts.

Bolt Thrower got their start in England in 1986. From then to 2015 the band cut a blistering course through extreme metal with eight albums entirely centered around the concept of war. In 2005 the band released Those Once Loyal, which stands as Bolt Thrower’s final album, though at the time the band’s demise was not at all known.

Many extreme metal acts don’t sell enough to be concerned about charts and certifications. But this album did crack the German 100, coming it at 76.

When Cannons Fade is the final track on Those Once Loyal. There are some versions of the album with a bonus track, but in most cases this standard edition would be considered the definitive tracklisting, so we’ll just go ahead and call this Bolt Thrower’s final song. That’s of course purely a matter of sequencing and may not reflect how the album was recorded at all, but it is our listening experience when the album is played in order so it’s fair to go with this concept.

Today’s song is mid-paced though perhaps on the quicker end, with a consistent and grinding rhythm throughout. We get some flashy guitar work in spots, as is common with death metal. Lyrically the song is very much about its title – the artillery rains down and then is done, leaving a scorched earth behind. The memories of the insane shell pounding remain long after the battle’s close, as is narrated in the final verse.

In the song’s final minutes the rhythm switches up as we outro to a very fitting fade out. This is a long one and the final thing that can be heard is the drumming of Martin Kearns. It would prove to be tragically fitting that Kearns would ring out Bolt Thrower’s recorded career.

Again, the end of Bolt Thrower was not right after this album or planned at all. The band made the call in 2008 to hold of on recording music but did continue to tour in occasional fashion. The band were rehearsing for an Australian tour in September 2015 when Martin Kearns died unexpectedly at age 38. This would be the end of Bolt Thrower, as a year later the remaining members announced they would lay the band to rest. The group did consider doing something in terms of a reunion show or release in tribute to Kearns but nothing has ever come about.

In the years since Kearns’ death and Bolt Thrower’s demise, the band has remained at the forefront of death metal. A new generation of bands and fans have come into the scene, and a renaissance of “old-school” death metal modeled on the early 1990’s heyday has emerged in the 2020’s. Bolt Thrower has remained a prime influence among both new fans and old heads, often the subject of discussion, memes and the like. It’s possible that their status has even improved since the end of their playing days, though of course such things are difficult to rate.

No matter the specifics, Bolt Thrower remain one of death metal’s biggest forces, even a decade past their end. When Cannons Fade serves as a fitting and perhaps eerie end to their run.