Stories Left Behind

On my quest through the Austrian black metal landscape, Winter’s Breath might be the odd one among the folk I’ve encountered in my homeland recently. There’s a symphonic element to their sound, but their/his (another one-man act here!) main inspiration in terms of guitars and stylistic foundation could be considered classic Norwegian BM as it’s the case with a slew of others, though that would only be part of the charm.

After you’ve grown accustomed to the basic premise of the material, their brand of black metal shows distinctive variations between songs. Most of them seem to wander off into a somewhat different direction individually, meaning that e.g. “Zerstörer” puts an emphasis on thrashier elements (which works well with BL’s raspy yell) while “Irrglaube” uses keyboard/synth patterns along clean guitars to amplify the somber and foreboding elements of Winter’s Breath‘s music. Strange, Gollum-like spoken word passages lead through sections of “The Watcher”, questioning your sanity. Most of this is pretty compelling and makes you guess what's gonna happen in the next track, which is always an efficient tool to keep the listener's attention up throughout a record.

I’m not sure that each and every ingredient thrown into this mix works entirely (“White Void” seems to experiment with off-key lead guitar sections that kinda rub me the wrong way a little, as does the chorus-ey, kinda out-of-tune-ish guitar outro in “Irrglaube”) but of course, there’s a greater chance of slipping when you’re branching out this far. Yet I’d rather have a bunch of these more playful, bolder acts in the spotlight instead of another copycat version of early Darkthrone clogging up potential BM playlists.

Either way, you’ll find an abundance of exciting content on this CD that warrants a purchase of Stories Left Behind, especially when you’re on the hunt for something that straddles the line between tradition and dares in the black metal genre, with a quality backbone to boot. There’re enough “classic” riffs to be grim about and the variations are “artsy” enough to be cool with those lamenting a lack of innovation in metal.

originally written for http://antichristmagazine.com

First of all: Look at the gorgeous picture used as cover artwork. “Stories left behind” is the brand new full length by Austrian based solo project Winter’s Breath, driven by a hard-working guy named Burkhard. Not long ago he was part of a 4 way split for which you can find quite an accurate review here at MA although I would add that Winter’s Breath clearly is the one band which is most up my alley. Burkhard’s brand of atmospheric yet also at times straight-forward black metal is nothing for anyone on the search for something innovative, but in case you like this style you cannot go wrong here. Two instrumentals and seven songs is what you get here so in that sense the perfect format.

Switching between German and English titles and lyrics things start off with “The Watcher”. This track comes along as nicely timed mid-tempo hymn with the symphonic harmonies accompanying the classic black metal riffing. Next up is “Rote Rose” where things are slowed down and some very mellow moments find their way into the album. Winter’s Breath is not so much about attacking with relentless fury and unfiltered primal power, but more about creating a very laid-back mood. Don’t be afraid, there are still enough faster sequences and some galloping parts – but they often work as contrast to the ambient soundscapes and are part of the cleverly constructed songs.

The shifting compositions vibrate with ritualistic energies, and the riffs expertly navigate their way from one to the next with at times truly remarkable pacing. The fierce bite of the blackened elements and rasps of Burkhard coalesce with shimmering black metal guitars and swirling synths, combining in an assured take on the genre. At times, Burkhard abandons his magical touch altogether, sounding merely like dozens of other upper echelon atmospheric black metal bands, but this is probably not avoidable if you are active within this specific sub-genre.

The songs progress in creative ways and Burkhard does not shy away from taking his time; a slow build of momentum here, a calming effect there; a halt of percussion before the abrupt introduction of soloed palm-muted, tremolo-picked passages leading into a sudden flurry of double-kick. Some sections are giving almost a post-rock kind of feel that transition into the atmospheric black metal sound that the album is mainly composed of. The tone is dream-like most of the time, but there is also a deep sense of melancholy and pain underneath it all giving it some emotional counterweight. And of course, the epic factor is everywhere. The album ebbs and flows in such a way that it remains easy to follow from start to finish.

Coupled with an improved sound quality Winter’s Breath more and more comes into its own and starts to become a name you should put on the watch list. It is not easy to find the right balance between delivering atmospheric music without crossing the line to pure cheesiness, but “Stories left behind” succeeds most of the time. There is still some room for improvement but if Burkhard follows this path the future looks bright.