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Winterfylleth are a very interesting proposition, and first introduced themselves with an incredible album called Ghosts of Heritage, which truly was a thing of wonder, with lyrical content that was based and seemingly more than keen on the middle ages history – or more importantly what had gone on within the British Isles – as witnessed in the jaw dropping ‘The March To Maldon’ followed by ‘Brithnoth – The Battle Of Maldon (991 AD)’ as a perfect case in point. As many are fully aware, ancient history, a country’s tradition and the combination of extreme metal is a massive winner and adds much flavour and interesting sonic dynamics that underpin a band. Cynics may point out that it’s samey samey, but I believe many bands have a lot of individuality. Such as Nile and Karl Sander’s massive pathological obsession with Egyptology, Drudkh and Negura Bunget and their ethereal other-wordly flavours that take the listener on not so much a mere listen, but more of sonic odyssey.
Winterfylleth are a band that file nicely to that form of extreme metal, and in the process of a mere handful of years are progressing with strength to strength, rapidly climbing up through the ranks of extreme metal’s best bands – not just in the UK but worldwide in general. Which brings us neatly onto their 4th studio album The Divination of Antiquity, which is scheduled for release in October from Candlelight Records.
The album opens with the title track, which to my ears is a decent tune but is merely a taster for what further sonic delights are revealed when you listen further. ‘Whispers of the Elements’ starts off with fast paced riffs but then takes twists and turns to more melodic atmospheres before continuing on with a blasting sonic attack; very much like the aural equivalent of travelling down a river but witnessing faster and slower parts of the stream as you continue your adventure along it.
One of the many jewels in the crown of this album is the beautifully emotive ‘A Caveworn Heart’, which is easily up there with the astonishing ‘Brithnoth – The Battle of Maldon’ as mentioned previously. It starts with clean guitar and a folk style that brings to mind the sonic atmospheres that are used by Fen, Negura Bunget and Drudkh and launching into anthemic black metal riffs. It is a slower paced number, but it is beautifully executed and is instantly memorable. ‘Foundations of Ash’ starts with a pounding drum attack and guitar assault but continues in an ebbing and flowing manner as highlighted earlier. that really does sound as if the album should be played back to back with the battle scenes of Game of Thrones while muting the TV – especially with the core context of the bands songs having a medieval theme if that makes sense.
‘The World Ahead’ is an acoustic number backed with choral vocals, which adds textures and dynamics to the album; and aids to the continuity of this style of black metal and in some ways a much needed break – before continuing on into ‘Over Borderlands’, a track that has a continuously storming pace. ‘Forsaken in Stone’ starts with clean guitar and proceeds into a pattern of slow, chunky and dramatic riffs with polyrhythmic drumming underpinning it nicely and ending with ‘Pariah’s Path’. A track that somehow continues as a fast paced tune throughout, but has twists and changes that don’t alter the overall speed or sound out of place.
To conclude, Winterfylleth are certainly one of the UK’s best black metal bands that with each successive album is growing from strength to strength, and this album is no exception. It can be said that each song within its own right is an undeniable banger and a half, and there is not any loss of consistency or has any filler tracks. If you have never heard of the band before and love black metal of this style, then this album is as much of a good introduction as the albums that preceded it. Highly recommended indeed.
