Winterschatten  (Flood The Earth Records)

 I think this work is just in between Black Metal and Black Ambient… this is Ambient Black Metal we can say, with more Ambient than Black Metal, but the obscure aura is only comparable with Black Metal. The firs song “Schneesturm - Einbruch der weissen Dunkelheit” is an electronic (not techno or industrial) piece of Black Metal buried (very deep) by atmospheric, ambient synths, but with distorted guitar and high pitched vocals at background, the ambient parts are balanced with the Black Metal ones. Then “Winterschatten” in the same vein that the first track, but with some electronic sounds that reminds me Jean Michelle Jarre’s “Oxigene”, but at the same time the Black Metal parts are considerably more aggressive than in the first song, with a dramatic, almost epic atmospheres mixed with some synthetized beats. The next song “Eisige Feuer” is more Electronic Ambient, with computerized beats emulating some rhythmic-militaristic drumming. It has deep enigmatic atmospheres with occasional piano-like sound that gives some “humanity” to this highly synthetized song, this song remind me the mid period of Mortiis. “...Endlos Und Karg....” is a Black Ambient song, minimalist and majestic in its simplicity, in the vein of Burzum’s Hlidskjalf . Then comes “Verschneite Waelder” a cosmic, introspective piece, driven by keyboards to an almost oniric dimension. “ Das ewige Eis” continues in the same vein of the previous song, but adding some minimalist, ritualistic programmed drumming sound. This album embraces a wide range of dark emotions and sublime melancholy, but also fills your chest with some weird triumphant feeling. Strong, solid album… Definitely an album to listen alone in completely darkness. Absolutely recommendable. (AP)