I’m one of those rare individuals who enjoys a good snowy winter, and nature has been delivering gloriously in my area so far this season, much to the displeasure of most others I regularly interact with. The raw and dark substance of black metal is really complemented by this climate, and one example which I’ve been spinning regularly as the ice thickens outside is the latest offering from OLD WAINDS. This Russian horde is well-versed in channeling harsh wintry elements into aural form, and after ten years they’ve returned with their next frostbitten opus titled Stormheart, a sonic blizzard that is immersed through its effectively grim and organic but also clear production quality. The bitter cold of this sound is maximized when joined to a malign atmosphere from certain compositional features, including various noted patterns that glare eerily through the riffing and percussive storm, and their dissonant qualities become hypnotic at points while casting an array of malice and dread.
This extends to melancholy concentrated in a lead melody amid the intensity of “Northern Starfall,” but the bleakness then subsides during other areas to incorporate some lighter tones, like the folky spirit in one riff coursing over a grooved beat on “Of Night and Ice.” Technical capabilities are also highlighted in a frenzy of fretwork here before similar beats accommodate notes pairing drearily “In the Heart of the Storm,” and the icy ravaging in its tremolo riffs seems even more elevated as amassing energies are driven toward “The Eternal, the Dead, the Arcane.” It maintains this vicious nature while a drum break draws momentary focus to desolation, and its arpeggiated haunts linger amid striding rhythmic variations and percussive intricacies, which capitalize on gloomier aspects within the songcraft. The vocals inflict another layer of torment throughout, compounding the burden with rasps of a lower wretchedness that occasionally deviate to higher tones, and a bout of demented laughter on this track instinctively reflects a consuming madness.
There are many details to be found among the riffage, and a barrage unleashed during “To the Moonlight” fully harnesses its potency, with evasive patterns raging across the progressions before a shift to heavier rhythmic alterations, and spells of ambience are woven into their culmination for greater effect. One of the few other ambient instances noted throughout appears at the onset of “Watch the Midnight Unveil,” where an ominous aura is introduced amid sounds to suggest trudging through snow, and this demonstrates how it subtly enhances the atmosphere while upholding a dominantly raw spirit. Both the frantic and mid-paced sections paralleling most arrangements are ably vitalized by meticulous fills in the drumwork, and sometimes they become almost ritualistic, as when the final blast of “Snow Swarm” approaches its grand and entrancing conclusion. Stormheart carries a dark enchantment that instantly captured attention upon release, and revisits to its abominable soundscapes have continued to satisfy, marking it as an immense addition to the band’s artistic collective and a highly memorable work from late last year.
themisanthreport.com 