I know we’re almost out of May, heading into June. Hell, Memorial Day is incoming. Burgers, hot dogs, corn on the cob…you know the vibes. But I’ll tell you something. This new album from Svart Winter is like something from the icy landscape of Norway – which is very intriguing considering this atmospheric black metal quintet hail from Italy. A part of the Non Serviam Records roster, Isvind reminds us none too subtly that ‘winter is coming’, if I may quote Game of Thrones for a moment. The guitars grab ahold of you and put ice water in your veins, while the vocals are pure black metal.
From the very first spin “Beneath the Night’s Cold Gaze” and “Where the Shadows Lie” grip you in the group’s talons and good luck getting out. The opening song “Torment” calls to mind the early days of Immortal, and in no way is that a bad thing. In fact, it’s quite the opposite for this guy. “Frozen Tomb” comes in with a frenzy of guitars while the title track has got layers of atmosphere for days. But this comes not at the expense of the sinister, menacing mood put forth, it actually enhances it so.
Elsewhere “Ritual” and “Abyss” totally capture that bleak, icy cold vibe this scribe referred to earlier, and the results speak for themselves. With three of the members also working on the production, mixing, and mastering aspects of the record, many will appreciate the DIY vibe throughout. All in all Isvind is a terrific album, and one of the best black metal records these ears have heard in a while. Get your copy soon and you will see.
Standout Tracks: All of them.