(Wolves in the Throne Room. Photo by Alison Scarpulla)

I’m still having trouble wrapping my head around the fact that NPR is now endorsing metal, despite the fact that it’s been going on for months already. I love NPR and all they offer (especially for news), but this is the chosen music medium of my 65 year-old parents, not exactly a hotbed of youth culture. What’s even more puzzling is the particular aesthetic of metal that NPR has given their blessing; I don’t know how to say this without sounding condescending (and I really don’t mean it that way), but you’d be way more likely to hear the metal bands NPR gives their seal of approval emanating from a Bushwick loft than you would a suburban bedroom in Ohio, or even a basement World of Warcraft mancave. I guess what I’m saying is, with the gigantic mainstream reach NPR has, I wish they would widen the range of metal bands they’re covering; the whole doom/black/crust/stoner/Scion axis is just one small piece of the overall puzzle. But so it goes.

One thing is for certain, though: at least the NPR Metal Czar has good taste. When you’re streaming the first new track from Wolves In The Throne Room’s upcoming album Celestial Lounge and the entirety of Yob’s new doom-tastic opus Atma at the very same time, it’s hard to generate any ill-will at all, even in the way of missed opportunities (like, for example, the new Revocation and Fleshgod Apocalypse albums). If you like good metal and know what’s good for ya, head on over to NPR at the above links to check out new Wolves In the Throne Room and Yob. And be glad that metal is getting a national stage at all.

Yob just wrapped up a run with Dark Castle, but Wolves In the Throne Room go on tour all over North American starting later this month. Last time I saw WITTR was at SXSW 2009; “epic” would be an understatement. Dates after the jump:

WOLVES IN THE THRONE ROOM North American Tour:
8/28/2011 Olympia, WA [check wittr.com for location]
8/31/2011 Minneapolis, MN [check wittr.com for location]
9/01/2011 Reggie’s Rock Club – Chicago, IL
9/02/2011 Rudyard Kipling – Louisville, KY
9/03/2011 The Mockbee – Cincinnati, OH w/ Thou
9/04/2011 Ravari Room – Columbus, OH w/ Thou
9/05/2011 Olde Jamestowne Hall – Saginaw, MI w/ Thou
9/06/2011 Soybomb HQ – Toronto, ON w/ Thou
9/08/2011 Death Church – Montreal, QC w/ Thou
9/09/2011 Northfield, VT [check wittr.com for location]
9/10/2011 Deering Grange Hall – Portland, ME
9/11/2011 Parking lot of 39 Manton Ave – Providence, RI w/ Thou
9/12/2011 The Bell House – Brooklyn, NY w/ Thou
9/15/2011 Broad Street Ministries – Philadelphia, PA w/ Megaton Leviathan, Vit, Woe
9/16/2011 Bethlehem, PA [venue disclosed with ticket purchase] w/ Megaton Leviathan
9/17/2011 Strange Matter – Richmond, VA w/ Megaton Leviathan
9/18/2011 Legitimate Business – Greensboro NC w/ Mt. Eerie, Megaton Leviathan
9/20/2011 JD’s – Sheffield, AL w/ Megaton Leviathan
9/21/2011 The Little Hamilton – Nashville, TN w/ Megaton Leviathan
9/22/2011 Club 529 – Atlanta, GA w/ Megaton Leviathan
9/23/2011 The Chop Shop – St Petersburg, FL w/ Megaton Leviathan
9/24/2011 The Farside Collective – Tallahassee, FL w/ Megaton Leviathan
9/25/2011 Nowe Miasto – New Orleans, LA w/ Thou, Megaton Leviathan
9/27/2011 Red 7 – Austin, TX w/ Megaton Leviathan
9/28/2011 Lola’s Saloon – Fort Worth, TX w/ Garuda, Megaton Leviathan
9/30/2011 Rhinoceropolis – Denver, CO
10/01/2011 Salt Lake city, UT [check wittr.com for location]
10/02/2011 Visual Arts Collective – Boise, ID
10/03/2011 New Frontier Outdoors – Tacoma, WA

-VN