Winter Eternal – Land of Darkness

Band: Winter Eternal
Title: Land of Darkness
Label: Hells Headbangers Records
Release date: 04 June 2021
Country: Greece (relocated to Scotland since 2018)
Format reviewed: High-quality Digital Recording

Formed in April 2011, Winter Eternal delivers solid and relentless Melodic Black Metal. This one-man band hailing from Greece (but relocated to Scotland since 2018) will release on June 4th their third full-length, “Land of Darkness”, almost 40 minutes full of fantastic melodies and a dark and dynamic background.

The man at charge of guitars, bass and vocals is Soulreaper (Stelios Makris), and he counts on a session drummer to do the percussion. From the beginning, the music wraps you in a very intense way, there’s no a weak moment in this album: you can’t escape from the landscape of pain and sorrow in which you are instantly thrown. But is not painful: it’s kind of healing, soothing, with a massive sound.

Drums are mostly played at fast tempos, abrasive guitars deliver tons of tremolo riffs and also icy cold melodies, perfect along with the vocals: Soulreaper’s voice sounds as emerging from a ripped and tortured throat. And you can really hear the bass, this makes it all even more strong and complete.

Every song has something remarkable in it, apart from the overall quality sound and composition. To highlight some: “Crossing the Blackest Skies” is like the initial slap in your face for all what comes next, an explosive opening theme. “Land of Darkness” starts with those low bass notes and then a fantastic melody enters, it drives all the song through, it got instantly stuck in my head! “The Illusive Wings of Death” perfectly alternates some kind of frenzy with more calmed passages, and the end of this song is epic and glorious! “Crown of Stars” has a soft and beautiful start, Matthew Dakoutros does a guest appearance in it playing violin and cello and it simply gives me goosebumps! “Faded to Silence” is the darkest song: vocals go sick, turning into raspy growls from Hell that fit perfectly the raw guitar tremolo riffs. “Shaped by Grief” is an instrumental and accoustic two minutes track, simply beautiful!

“Land of Darkness” continues the musical path that Soulreaper started in 2013 with his debut album “Winter Eternal” and the following “Realm of the Bleeding Shadows” from 2019, this is Hellenic Black Metal at its best! I give it 8,5/10  Sílvia

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8,5/10 To greatness and glory!
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