Kev Rowland THE RECKONING DAWN CANDLELIGHT/SPINEFARM There are going to be a great many people really pleased with this album, and to be honest I’m one of them, but there are also going to be quite a few disappointed and I’m one of those as well. The reason being is that this is their first full length metal album since 2014’s, ’The Divination of Antiquity’, but I confess I loved their last album ‘The Hallowing of Heirdom’ which was acoustic, folky, and just so damned wonderful. Mind you, back then I said I had problems recognising it was the same band who had brought out the mighty ‘The Mercian Sphere’ in 2010, so it is going to be interesting to see which path they follow in the future (may I suggest both?).

Recorded and produced once again by Chris Fielding (Primordial, Napalm Death, Conan, Electric Wizard, Fen), Winterfylleth again show why they are recognised as one of the top black metal acts in the UK. This is dramatic, hard-hitting, polished, and highly atmospheric, and it is that latter, which is actually the strongest element of the album, and therefore also the weakest. Fielding and the band have gone so heavily for atmosphere that there are too many times when the guitars are somewhat muted, and while turning it up incredibly loud does mitigate that somewhat, there just isn’t the cut through I want to hear. There are times when they do bring in different elements, such as acoustic guitar, and these provide real change and dynamics, and I wish they have brought more of that into the album as a whole. Solid, and well worth hearing, just not as essential as the last one.

J-Man Although some 'kvlter-than-thou' purists may object to the recent explosion of folky, shoegazing, and nature-loving black metal acts, I have really developed a liking for this movement over the past few years. Like their fellow countrymen in Fen, Manchester's Winterfylleth plays a style of black metal that focuses on bleak atmospheres, hauntingly beautiful melodies, and a constant feeling that one is surrounded by nature in its purest forms. Despite being only my introduction to their spectacular music, The Threnody of Triumph is Winterfylleth's third full-length album released in their history dating back to 2007. An emotional, chilling, and beautiful album indeed, The Threnody of Triumph is a must-have album for any fan of unconventional black metal.

Winterfylleth's core sound can easily be traced to melodic black metal pioneered by acts like Ancient, Burzum, or Dissection, but the band has obviously taken plenty of deviations from what these second-wave artists were doing roughly two decades ago. With plenty of external influences from post-rock and folk music, Winterfylleth's sound is a bit on the eclectic side, while still sounding unified and refined. The blasting black metal outbursts contrast themselves perfectly from the lush acoustic soundscapes, and although The Threnody of Triumph may still be too extreme for those unacquainted with black metal, fans of the genre will love the immaculate attention to detail displayed by Winterfylleth. The production is warm, the musicianship is tight without sounding mechanical, and the melodies are extremely well put-together, especially by black metal standards.

If you, like me, enjoy black metal with a heavy emphasis on bleak melodies, rich atmospheres, and dynamic variety, The Threnody of Triumph is an album definitely worth checking out sooner rather than later. Winterfylleth really hit a home run with this stunner, and while I've yet to check out the rest of their discography, I'll be sure to make that a priority in the near future. The Threnody of Triumph may not be an album to burn a church to, but if you're in search of a memorable observation for a long walk in the woods, this may be right up your alley.