__________.____ ______________________________ .__ _______ ________ \______ \ | \_ _____/\_ _____/\______ \ |__|\ \ / _____/ | | _/ | | __)_ | __)_ | | \| |/ | \/ \ ___ | | \ |___ | \ | \ | ` \ / | \ \_\ \ |______ /_______ \/_______ //_______ //_______ /__\____|__ /\______ / \/ \/ \/ \/ \/ \/ \/ artist: Wolves' Winter title: The Medivm year: 2024 genre: Black Metal type: Album label: Northern Silence Prod. language: English rel. date: 2024-10-04 source: WEB/MP3 quality: CBR 320kbps / 44.1 kHz / Full Stereo runtime: 00:40:09 size: 96.61 MB rip date: 2024-10-03 source url: http://deezer.com/album/648577061 tracklist: 1. Paradoxical Fullness of Nothingness 3:09 2. Levitation of the Buried Ones 4:25 3. Bornless & Deathless 4:44 4. The Medivm 4:05 5. Flame of Ghosts 4:38 6. The Omen 4:48 7. Calling from Beyond 5:10 8. Black Light of Qalmana 3:44 9. VOID 5:26 release notes: A rabid curse in praise of blackest light cast upon the trembling fields of old and dried sacrificial blood this sophomore full-length album from Ciudad Aut≤noma de Buenos Aires, Argentina-based black metal quintet WOLVESÆ WINTER turns away, out of sight of the face of God, seeking solace from heinous carnal disquietude. Developing personage over the course of a decade and a half without compromising the integrity of their original thought these fellowes retain a high standard for raw, melodious, and occult-spiritualized black metal on æThe Medivmæ. Though still clearly hinging their central voicing on the innovations of the last two decades of Finnish black metal classicism these fellowes are yet capable of wild strikes, of dark atmosphere and hall-reaping dread-tones which inspire and illuminate their occult-sighted drive. WolvesÆ Winter was formed in the 2008 by Beelzebuth Nazgul alongside original bassist Cabra Phobos as various early lineups would produce a series of demos and rehearsals inspired by Finnish black metal (Sargeist, Behexen, et al.) as well as groups whoÆd fuse fluid melodicism with harshened craft (Arckanum, Beastcraft) to start. Around 2011-2012 theyÆd more or less felt readied to attempt a full-length and alluded to this in interviews but things never went further than a compilation of early material (æLycanthropus Legionisæ, 2011) and a fairly raw rehearsal demo a year later. If you have been impressed with the work theyÆve released post-2018 and are searching for value in old precedence the original version of the well-received æSpell of Necromancyæ demo from 2011 is still worth your time, even if it wasnÆt a complete thought compared to their later standards; With a more solidified and dependable lineup achieved by 2016 weÆd ultimately get the matured realization of the bandÆs intent by 2018 with the brilliant æNecrosophic Illuminationæ EP where the core three original songs on that CD featured haunting choral exaggerations, sweeping melodic rhythm guitar work and their most palpably inspired performances to date. The æSpell of Necromancyæ demo was also fully re-recorded and released soon after, a worthy recreation of their Satanic Warmaster inspired early days with a surprisingly æcleanÆ production value applied. The years between and the time spent toiling toward a high-standard presentation and authorship were of course worthwhile as WolvesÆ Winter mightÆve taken ~ten years longer than expected to produce their debut full-length album (æQayin Coronatvsæ, 2021) but it was well worth the strong foundation achieved. Considering the years of development that first record was essentially making good on the promise lodged in mind for a decade of persistence and as such it reflected both where they were at the time as well as the best ideas theyÆd dragged along with, complimenting their first two EPs in a direct way. When setting any expectations for what æThe Medivmæ is this is of course vital provenance, an album with clear and bristling presence with inspiration taken from the early 2000Æs at its core and revised up to the standards for cutting melodicism achieved in the 2010Æs with Finnish black metal being the main bar set for fidelity and composition. That said, theyÆve launched this record with that experience behind them as reinforcing values rather than a template for what comes next. Their cult of Death emboldens at the end of days. The occult themes inherent to the lyrical propositions put forth by WolvesÆ Winter appear more clearly stated by 2021 with a focus seemingly related to gnostic and/or blasphemic interpretation of dark figures in Judeo-Christian theology which are of course relevant to Satanic (or, Luciferian) ritual and death worship in general. Without knowing or elaborating upon any of the dark esoterica and spiritual wrath down to each lyrics here I would suggest most listeners will find their point of obsession via this albumÆs more melodic riff-based formae herein rather than the themes outlined. There are roughly five pieces on the full spin through æThe Medivmæ which immediately and thoroughly strike into inspired and encompassing themes, be they anthem or draining ode, which are driven by ear worming dual guitar forged melodies. Though the album opens in dramatic fashion between its howling salvo (ôThe Paradoxical Fullness of Nothingnessö) and the 90Æs-anthemic spire of ôLevitation of the Buried Onesö we donÆt fully dive into the thrilling rhythmic pocket of this album until the grinding strum of ôBornless & Deathlessö eventually cracks open the doorway. Around ~2:05 minutes into the piece a surprising shift into what IÆd consider a riff progression more likely to be found in Hellenic black metal throwback acts, subtle as this type of distinction might appear to start these unexpected moments (however borrowed they sometimes appear) begin to accumulate into an engaging and volatile experience song after song. Lightless and scaling their menace outward into a bleakest realm the songs thatÆd most readily caught and held my ear on the full listen arrived around the mid-point of æThe Medivmæ as ôFlame of Ghostsö a certain headier era of Sargeist as itÆd developed with some declarative vocalizations and a few classic Norse-leveled verse riffs used for basic effect, a simple enough song but to great effect. ôCalling From Beyondö is probably the one piece to stain the mind most completely beyond ôBornless & Deathlessö with its brisk rate of fire and circuitous tasking through its core melody, the strength and the core function of WolvesÆ Winteræs whole gig and where they do it best from my point of view. Of course my preference is additionally persuaded by a bass guitar driven transition with admirably set flourish and an overall most dynamic showing as the piece develops its ardor in the space of about five minutes. The remainder of Side B is no less inspired though ôCalling From Beyondö was a most common point of inspiration as IÆd passed through he album numerous times, pairing it with the anthemic upswing of ôBlack Light of Qalmanaö should serve the most compounding argument for what is most effective about this release as a whole. Though there are a couple of less engaging, droning pieces here and there the bulk of æThe Medivmæ is engaging, inspired and able to continually renew interest with new elemental shifts and points of fusion with a global interest in a certain quintessence of spiritual black metal attack. That level of well-aware taste is clearly conveyed in some additional sense per the brilliantly detailed album artwork theyÆve curated from the mind of artist Fernando Rojas aka Abismo / BlackArts which helps to elevate the experience per the fantastical nightside necromantical scene in progress. A scathingly rough but still clear enough render ensures the experience is both clear in its point of inspiration and additive to said tradition. Though we cannot necessarily suggest WolvesÆ Winter is particularly original in the sense that their inspirations have endured quite loudly for a decade and a half there is yet plenty enough value in their version of it per a focus on rousing riffcraft and just enough melodic interest generated to call back for some repeated listening.