__ __ _()__::_ _::_ ___:::___ ___:::____ _::_ _()_ ||_> <__::__> <_,_) _ (_ __) _ (_ _> <________:|| || \/ _/ | \_/ | \| \|| || | | | | | || || | | | | | || || | | | | | || || __ _ | | | | | __ || || ||\/| | | | | | |\ || || || | | | | | || || || _:_ixxu | _:_:\____:::_____/\____:::____//_:____||_____|| ||_> <_____!__> '|_> _ <_ _) _ (_ <__! || || \! | | \/ | \! /______ || || \ | | | | | //|| || __ / | | | | | \\| || |> \ | | | | | | || || |------ \ | | | | | | || == |> / | ____:____ | | | |> == || | / |\ \ | | | | || || / ------ \ | | || ||\__ _____/| _ _______:_____/ \_____ _____// ___________|| `/ | _> | _> | > | _> | _> \' / |/ |/ |/ |/ |/ \ / ! ! ! ! ! \ / \ / \ / \ || Artist......: Wolves' Winter || || Album.......: The Medivm || || Year........: 2024 || || || || Genre.......: Black Metal || || Label.......: Northern Silence Productions || || || || Source......: WEB (16bit) || || Encoder.....: libFLAC || || Bitrate.....: 1029kbps avg. || || F.Rate......: 44.1kHz || || || || Playtime....: 00:40:09 / 311.52MB || || R.Date......: 2024-10-06 || || S.Date......: 2024-10-04 || || Website.....: http://play.qobuz.com/album/c1wc2wrryi9ua || || || || || || 01. Paradoxical Fullness of Nothingness 3:09 || || 02. Levitation of the Buried Ones 4:25 || || 03. Bornless & Deathless 4:44 || || 04. The Medivm 4:05 || || 05. Flame of Ghosts 4:38 || || 06. The Omen 4:48 || || 07. Calling from Beyond 5:10 || || 08. Black Light of Qalmana 3:44 || || 09. VOID 5:26 || || || || || || A rabid curse in praise of blackest light cast upon the || || trembling fields of old and dried sacrificial blood this || || sophomore full-length album from Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos || || Aires, Argentina-based black metal quintet WOLVES’ WINTER turns || || away, out of sight of the face of God, seeking solace from || || heinous carnal disquietude. Developing personage over the || || course of a decade and a half without compromising the || || integrity of their original thought these fellowes retain a || || high standard for raw, melodious, and occult-spiritualized || || black metal on ‘The Medivm‘. Though still clearly hinging their || || central voicing on the innovations of the last two decades of || || Finnish black metal classicism these fellowes are yet capable || || of wild strikes, of dark atmosphere and hall-reaping || || dread-tones which inspire and illuminate their occult-sighted || || drive. || || || || Wolves’ Winter was formed in the 2008 by Beelzebuth Nazgul || || alongside original bassist Cabra Phobos as various early || || lineups would produce a series of demos and rehearsals inspired || || by Finnish black metal (Sargeist, Behexen, et al.) as well as || || groups who’d fuse fluid melodicism with harshened craft || || (Arckanum, Beastcraft) to start. Around 2011-2012 they’d more || || or less felt readied to attempt a full-length and alluded to || || this in interviews but things never went further than a || || compilation of early material (‘Lycanthropus Legionis‘, 2011) || || and a fairly raw rehearsal demo a year later. If you have been || || impressed with the work they’ve released post-2018 and are || || searching for value in old precedence the original version of || || the well-received ‘Spell of Necromancy‘ demo from 2011 is still || || worth your time, even if it wasn’t a complete thought compared || || to their later standards; With a more solidified and dependable || || lineup achieved by 2016 we’d ultimately get the matured || || realization of the band’s intent by 2018 with the brilliant || || ‘Necrosophic Illumination‘ EP where the core three original || || songs on that CD featured haunting choral exaggerations, || || sweeping melodic rhythm guitar work and their most palpably || || inspired performances to date. The ‘Spell of Necromancy‘ demo || || was also fully re-recorded and released soon after, a worthy || || recreation of their Satanic Warmaster inspired early days with || || a surprisingly ‘clean’ production value applied. || || || || The years between and the time spent toiling toward a || || high-standard presentation and authorship were of course || || worthwhile as Wolves’ Winter might’ve taken ~ten years longer || || than expected to produce their debut full-length album (‘Qayin || || Coronatvs‘, 2021) but it was well worth the strong foundation || || achieved. Considering the years of development that first || || record was essentially making good on the promise lodged in || || mind for a decade of persistence and as such it reflected both || || where they were at the time as well as the best ideas they’d || || dragged along with, complimenting their first two EPs in a || || direct way. When setting any expectations for what ‘The Medivm‘ || || is this is of course vital provenance, an album with clear and || || bristling presence with inspiration taken from the early 2000’s || || at its core and revised up to the standards for cutting || || melodicism achieved in the 2010’s with Finnish black metal || || being the main bar set for fidelity and composition. That said, || || they’ve launched this record with that experience behind them || || as reinforcing values rather than a template for what comes || || next. || || || || Their cult of Death emboldens at the end of days. The occult || || themes inherent to the lyrical propositions put forth by || || Wolves’ Winter appear more clearly stated by 2021 with a focus || || seemingly related to gnostic and/or blasphemic interpretation || || of dark figures in Judeo-Christian theology which are of course || || relevant to Satanic (or, Luciferian) ritual and death worship || || in general. Without knowing or elaborating upon any of the dark || || esoterica and spiritual wrath down to each lyrics here I would || || suggest most listeners will find their point of obsession via || || this album’s more melodic riff-based formae herein rather than || || the themes outlined. There are roughly five pieces on the full || || spin through ‘The Medivm‘ which immediately and thoroughly || || strike into inspired and encompassing themes, be they anthem or || || draining ode, which are driven by ear worming dual guitar || || forged melodies. Though the album opens in dramatic fashion || || between its howling salvo (“The Paradoxical Fullness of || || Nothingness”) and the 90’s-anthemic spire of “Levitation of the || || Buried Ones” we don’t fully dive into the thrilling rhythmic || || pocket of this album until the grinding strum of “Bornless & || || Deathless” eventually cracks open the doorway. Around ~2:05 || || minutes into the piece a surprising shift into what I’d || || consider a riff progression more likely to be found in Hellenic || || black metal throwback acts, subtle as this type of distinction || || might appear to start these unexpected moments (however || || borrowed they sometimes appear) begin to accumulate into an || || engaging and volatile experience song after song. || || || || Lightless and scaling their menace outward into a bleakest || || realm the songs that’d most readily caught and held my ear on || || the full listen arrived around the mid-point of ‘The Medivm‘ as || || “Flame of Ghosts” a certain headier era of Sargeist as it’d || || developed with some declarative vocalizations and a few classic || || Norse-leveled verse riffs used for basic effect, a simple || || enough song but to great effect. “Calling From Beyond” is || || probably the one piece to stain the mind most completely beyond || || “Bornless & Deathless” with its brisk rate of fire and || || circuitous tasking through its core melody, the strength and || || the core function of Wolves’ Winter‘s whole gig and where they || || do it best from my point of view. Of course my preference is || || additionally persuaded by a bass guitar driven transition with || || admirably set flourish and an overall most dynamic showing as || || the piece develops its ardor in the space of about five || || minutes. The remainder of Side B is no less inspired though || || “Calling From Beyond” was a most common point of inspiration as || || I’d passed through he album numerous times, pairing it with the || || anthemic upswing of “Black Light of Qalmana” should serve the || || most compounding argument for what is most effective about this || || release as a whole. || || || || Though there are a couple of less engaging, droning pieces here || || and there the bulk of ‘The Medivm‘ is engaging, inspired and || || able to continually renew interest with new elemental shifts || || and points of fusion with a global interest in a certain || || quintessence of spiritual black metal attack. That level of || || well-aware taste is clearly conveyed in some additional sense || || per the brilliantly detailed album artwork they’ve curated from || || the mind of artist Fernando Rojas aka Abismo / BlackArts which || || helps to elevate the experience per the fantastical nightside || || necromantical scene in progress. A scathingly rough but still || || clear enough render ensures the experience is both clear in its || || point of inspiration and additive to said tradition. Though we || || cannot necessarily suggest Wolves’ Winter is particularly || || original in the sense that their inspirations have endured || || quite loudly for a decade and a half there is yet plenty enough || || value in their version of it per a focus on rousing riffcraft || || and just enough melodic interest generated to call back for || || some repeated listening... || || || || || || || (= =) (= =) || || `' `'