Ninkharsag - The Black Swords of Winter (2025)Release ID: 58179

Ninkharsag - The Black Swords of Winter (2025) Cover
Vinny Vinny / March 18, 2025 / Comments 0 / 0

Liverpool (UK) based black metallers, Ninkharsag caught my attention with their sophomore, The Dread March of Solemn Gods back in 2021. Claiming four well-earned stars for their efforts on that one, the future looked promising for what started out as a one-man project back in 2009 and had since grown into a four-piece band. Their brand of charging, rampant melodic black metal, instantly brought the likes of Dissection and Sacramentum to mind. Coupled with some Watain-like intensity, the sound of Ninkharsag soon found favour with these ears.

This EP nicely scratches my Ninkharsag itch as I wait for the next full-length. Continuing their themes of ancient history, magic and occultism, The Black Swords of Winter is a raging torrent of melodic black metal that ticks more than enough boxes for me over the six tracks on offer. Suitably opened by a moody and atmospheric intro track, the EP soon picks up the pace and barely lets up for the next twenty-two-minutes. Muhammad Candra’s artwork absolutely represents the icy content that lies within. As the flames of the dragon on the cover suggest, any burn here is a cold one.

It is nice to find a band in my local area that are forging a solid path through a ton of (mostly) unremarkable black metal releases so far this year. The nods to the Swedish bands mentioned above never feel like unbridled worship and they retain a freshness to the sound, like new life is somehow being breathed into a tried and tested formula. Looking forwards still to the next full length offering, if they can keep this standard up, it should be another winner.


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Release info

Release Site Rating

Ratings: 1 | Reviews: 1

4.0

Release Clan Rating

Ratings: 1 | Reviews: 1

4.0

Cover Site Rating

Ratings: 1

4.0

Cover Clan Rating

Ratings: 1

4.0
Band
Release
The Black Swords of Winter
Year
2025
Format
EP
Clans
The North
Genres
Black Metal
Sub-Genres

Melodic Black Metal

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