Epic Black Metal - "Fimbulwinter" Review (88%)
Satanic Warmaster is one of those black metal bands, alongside Phantom, Demonecromancy and Graveland, that you can always count on. If you are in the need for traditional black metal that makes the blood freeze in your veins during those long nights when 'normal' humans are asleep and you are in the midst of a nocturnal satanic psychosis.
No satanic blackened deathgrind/bestial black metal/gruesome war metal in the vein of Warkvlt, Absurd or Black Witchery here (not that that's a problem), just traditional grim and epic black metal from the lands of north.
The album Fimbulwinter can be divided into two parts: one epic black metal side, and one more atmospheric side influenced by bands like Phantom and Beherit.
Tracks like 'Winter's Hunger' are straightforward icy black metal. If you are a fan of second-wave Norwegian black metal, particularly its more epic elements like Burzum and Neraines, you will automatically enjoy this.
The track starts off with a mid-tempo then cuts into some double-bass attack, a build-up, a climax, and back into mid-tempo with some alternating double-kick here and there. Nothing out of the ordinary, but a very solid track. Satanic Tyrant Werewolf's vocals are blasphemous and grim in an excellent way.
This is pretty much a continuation of what Satanic Warmaster crafted on albums like Strength and Honour and Carelian Satanist Madness.
Glorious epic black metal, nothing short of brilliant.
Epic Black Metal
The other side of the album, the more atmospheric side, is heavily influenced by 'blackened terror' albums such as Phantom's Fallen Angel, Beherit's Drawing Down the Moon and Vermin's Verminlust - and to a lesser extend, every other Vermin albums.
This is where things get more interesting. I said it was an 'atmospheric' side for lack of a better word, compared to the more traditional parts of this album, but make no mistake: this side is just as epic as the last, if not even more so.
'Funeral Wolves' starts off with a hypnotic-like riff that sounds extremely gloomy and sinister, to the point where it might well have been lifted straight from Withdrawal. Very similar to 'Rain Falls' off their excellent 'Opferblut'. And again Wervolf's vocals screech through the godless black metal as a sign of hope for those who are damned.
Doomy but very melancholic themes make their appearance on 'Silent Call of Moon's Temples', before a breakdown and double-bass accompanied droning riffs, which a bit of back-and-forth play between the different motives before exploding into a black metal climax of epic proportions.
Between those two songs, the 'atmospheric' side is the definitive winner just for those slow melodic Phantom/Vermin riffs.
If you get the chance, look through Ebay, trade, whatever.....definitely pick this up.
Satanic Warmaster have rewritten the rules of epic black metal with this masterpiece Fimbulwinter.
Fimbulwinter score: 88/100.
Support the Underground
