Winterfylleth - The Imperious Horizon (2024)

Over the years the Atmospheric Black Metal scene has exploded and many bands have crowded it, however, Winterfylleth has always been at the top thanks to their creativity and ability to greatly improve with each release. With “The Imperious Horizon”, the band takes their sound to a whole new level with over 70 minutes of bombastic music that perfectly balances aggression and melancholy.

Setting an enigmatic and lush mood with the instrumental opener, the blasts away with the piercing “Like Brimming Fire”, a track filled with crushing drums and savage riffs, giving us a certain Der Weg einer Freiheit vibe. After the furious opener, “DishonourEnthroned” keeps the intensity but carves some masterful melodic elements into the mix, creating a very enveloping sound, with Chris Naughton harsh vocals brilliantly adding to the turmoil. With no sign of slowing down, “Upon this Shore” and the album title track perfectly deliver a delicate balance between ravaging brutality and melancholy, with some epic headbanging passages and dramatic keyboards/clean vocals.

This release slightly transitions into more complex and atmospherically creative territories with this track and the second half of the release. Our favorite song has to be the masterful “In Silent Grace”, featuring Alan Averill on guest vocals. There is plenty of aggression left, as tracks like “The Insurrection” make sure to keep it cranked up to 11 when it comes to speed and powerful riffing. The band’s ability to create very chaotic and punishing sections that marvelously unravel into melodic interludes and crafty tempo changes is one of the things that separates them from the rest.

As the release closes with an impressive cover of Emperor’s “The Majesty of the Night Sky”, that even sounds better than the original recording found on “In the Nightside Eclipse”, and a longer and even more melancholic version of “In Silent Grace”, with only Alan on vocals. “The Imperious Horizon” is one of those expansive releases filled with intricate details and subtleties that need more than a few spins to discover, making it a greatly enjoyable release that offers entertainment and value for quite a while.

Label: Candlelight Records

Release: Septmeber 13th, 2024

Genre: Atmospheric Black Metal

Country: UK