Winterfylleth have been whipping up their particular brand of windswept, National Trust-tinged black metal for long enough now that they’ve quietly become elder statesmen of the UK scene (albeit elder statesman that still sound like they’d rather be trudging across a moor in chainmail than attending any sort of formal ceremony). It comes as no surprise, then, that their latest offering, The Unyielding Season, continues this march towards domination of the UK black metal scene, proving that you can refine a formula for over a decade without sanding off the moss.
So…a bit of history first. Formed in Manchester circa 2007, the band emerged during that innovative time when British black metal decided it didn’t have to sound like it was recorded inside a biscuit tin. Albums like The Mercian Sphere and The Divination Of Antiquity have since established the bands signature blend of tremolo riffs, grand melodies, vivid natural imagery and lyrics steeped in Anglo-Saxon history as well as cementing the band as one of the key players within the British black metal world.
That sense of confidence permeates The Unyielding Season. The opener, ‘Heroes Of A Hundred Fields’ wastes no time in reminding you why Winterfylleth have such a loyal following. It’s grand, melodic, and unapologetically dramatic, exactly the kind of track that makes you feel like you should be holding a banner whilst standing atop a hill (even if you are, in fact, just making a tea in your kitchen). The riffs surge forward with purpose, and there’s a sense of momentum that nicely sets the tone for the rest of the record, guitars blooming into layered harmonies that are both melodic and muscular, a reminder that Winterfylleth’s greatest strength has always been their embracing attitude to atmosphere rather than sheer aggression.
‘Echoes in the After’ is another standout, partly due to the masterful use of dynamics and balance on display, and partly because of its subject matter. The track draws on 16th-century literature and was written as a response to the destruction of the Sycamore Gap tree on Hadrian’s Wall, which itself featured on the artwork to their 2018 album The Hallowing Of Heirdom. This is a prime example of just how effectively Winterfylleth can weave tales of British heritage into their music in a way that compliments the aggression rather than clashing with it.
And then there’s the title track, ‘The Unyielding Season’, which acts as the album’s emotional centrepiece. It is truly massive in scope, with layered instrumentation, a sense of gravity to it that is inescapable and more peaks and troughs than a baseball cap convention at a livestock auction. Alongside it, ‘Unspoken Elegy’, an instrumental number featuring mournful strings and beautifully played classical guitar lines, gives the feeling of an oasis (not the band!), like a secluded glade of calm where you can rest your weary feet before continuing your journey.
If this is beginning to sound like Winterfylleth have lost their bite, there’s absolutely no need to panic! Tracks like ‘Perdition’s Flame’ and ‘Towards Elysium’ lean into much more aggressive territory, delivering the expected barrage of blast beats and tremolo riffs, as well as some more of the more discordant harmonies you will find on the record…there’s still venom in these teeth when it’s needed!
By the time the closing track arrives, with its doom-tinged guitar riffs and Paradise Lost-esque clean vocals, Winterfylleth have already proved that they are completely at ease with themselves. They’re not chasing trends, not reinventing the genre, not trying to out-blast anyone. They’re just doing what they do best, crafting expansive, atmospheric black metal that feels rooted in place and history. It’s music for long walks, stormy skies, and occasionally pretending your commute is a bit more epic than sitting in traffic on the M5….
Best Paired with – A pair of high-quality wellies and a yearly subscription to the National Trust.
Reviewed by Bryn.
Winterfylleth – The Unyielding Season is out now on Napalm Records.
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