Review by Shadowdoom9 (Andi) for Winter - Into Darkness (1990)

Winter is one of the 4 seasons, the most notorious one due to the coldness, darkness, and freezing snow. Having lived in a hot near-equator country for so long, I do wish to experience that season again someday. One band would put their energy from the freezing bleakness into what was the most doom-ridden album back then. This is Winter's debut Into Darkness! The theme of winter may work best with black metal and power metal, but a doom metal band like Winter can convey something more somber about the season, infused with bits of death metal for hallowing magic. There's beautiful contrast between the grounded guitar and the spacey keyboards.

I have a feeling the recording happened when the members were in a college dorm, but I guess you can say that about any lo-fi black metal recording. What makes this doomy album sound so clean yet highly gritty in production is how the instruments sound like switch from multiple to one, as the vocals stand out above them all. The drums sounds the best in the mix, never overwhelming while a prominent massive weight to hold everything together.

Starting the album is the dark gloomy 6-minute intro "Oppression Freedom". If this album was a movie, this would fit well for the beginning scene that shows the aftermath of a battle that happened shortly before the events of the film; the moon shining over a battlefield with nothing in it except burning fire and slain bodies, a bit like the cover art. "Servants of The Warsmen" has a Celtic Frost-inspired sound similar to that Delirium album. Within the gloom, there's keyboard atmosphere to guide us through after-war depression. One of my personal favorite tracks here is "Goden". The death growls that I like are in fantastic contrast with the doomy guitars, bass, and drums.

Then we have the shorter interlude "Power and Might" with a slow yet irresistible drum beat. Then it levels up for another favorite "Destiny", for a groove-like speed. There's still the occasional doom atmosphere to keep things wonderful and interesting.

The best of it all is "Eternal Frost". Words can not describe what a frosty cold doom track it is. The title track is an awesome 9-minute epic, one last heavy listen in the dark forgotten underground. The grim malevolence of this album is still around. The slowness dominates for another perfectly executed track. And it works greatly in the raw fuzz that is a main part of the production.

Winter made only one album in their tenure, and that album, Into Darkness is a better death-doom release than the other two I've reviewed. But don't expect me to return to any other bands from The Fallen like My Dying Bride, at least for now. A stellar underrated release to bring life to a dark depressive sound!

Favorites: "Goden", "Destiny", "Eternal Frost", "Into Darkness"