NightForest-Winternight Review

1. Waldmystik
2. Moonlight
3. Wilderness
4. From a Sea...
5. A Lost Forgotten Path
6. Noreia's Call
7. Your Hell
8. Winternight
9. Halls of Ancestors
10. Cryptic Everglade
11. An Inner Pain
12. Outro

After being amazed by the talent of NightForest from the Garden of Grief/NightForest split, there was no choice but to contact Taranis to check out, Winternight, the debut full length of Austrian blackmetal band NightForest. NightForest is a 3 piece band that consists of Svart(vocals/keys) Da-Vite(drums) and Taranis who handles the all of the musical arrangements.

Winternight continues in the same tradition as the split, however, the band takes even a step further in my opinion. First thing noticeable is the production of this album. It definitely has a more clean, clearer production which is suitable for all melodic guitars and chaos of the band. Svart's vocals are top notch varying from high pitches and low grunts especially on tracks "From a Sea..," "Noreia's Call," and the title track. "Winternight." Da-Vite's drumming is solid and continues in its tradition of speed and hard pounding blast beats. Taranis seems to have matured in song structure and musicianship. His melodic guitars and arrangements are of high priority on this album.

Winternight brings forth 12 various tracks varying from intros, instrumental interludes, and top notch melodic/aggressive black metal. The instrumental tracks are nicely done as most display a dark ambiance but they can get pretty experimental at times as found on "Wilderness" and "Hall of Ancestors." "A Lost Forgotten Path," "Cryptic Everglade," and the "Outro" are all acoustic based and done very poetic. Hiding in between all the instrumentals, interludes, and acoustic are aggressive melodic black metal tracks full of power and emotion.

"Moonlight" is the perfect opening track following the introductory instrumental as it gives us what is bound to come our way within the next few tracks and it is madness! "From a Sea..." unleashes more darker and melodic riffs keeping the attention to the ears of the listener as it roars its way through. "Noreia's Call" and "Your Hell" continue in that old school beastly manner of blast beats and cold melody. "Winternight" keeps the adrenaline flowing and the hints of atmosphere and clean "ohhhs" are a great addition. "An Inner Pain" proves that the band doesn't always need speed to make a good track. In fact, "An Inner Pain," which carries off from the progressive-like acoustic interlude of "Cryptic Everglade," is a more midtempo suicidal black metal track. This really is a nice change from all the aggression, speed, and power as displayed on most of the tracks. Here we are entwined with melancholy, pain, and self hatred. Excellent track. This is DSBM done in the right fashion. I would of loved to have heard another track like this on the album, but it really isn't a big deal as the album should satisfy the listener regardless.

Overall, despite all the interludes and instrumentals, Winternight delivers to its fullest. This 3 piece band from Austria has done it again and has made a fan out of me and it will of you too. One can only hope they continue to impress in the future. Keep up the good work. Fans of cold, old school, melodic black metal fans will appraise this to high peaks.

Rating:
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Facebook:NightForest

Review by Vyldr