Since the dawn of black metal going into the realms of fantasy and folklore, Tolkien has been the undeniably dominating presence with hundreds if not thousands of bands using his works to propel their brand of black metal into the underground. While there’s no sign of that changing anytime now in the overall scheme, we’ve been able to witness the rise of other works getting representation in black metal. Eastern folklore, in particular, is something that plenty of bands have been more than eager to dig into with the influence of the Witcher series becoming more and more apparent as time goes on. There are plenty that has done the franchise justice in their representation of its values and influences, yet it is with their latest creation that Evoking Winds has done something that I can’t see as anything less than superb.

Already, it’s hard enough to do source material justice. Even if it is the most mundane of topics or something that has been done many times before, it can be quite a tricky thing to bring that influence to life in a meaningful way while simultaneously pulling off the sound such that the listener isn’t utterly bored through a work that feels the same as many before. For all of the twelve tracks that make up “Bald Mountain”, Evoking Winds does a fantastic job at ensuring every given factor of their sound makes for a dynamic and compelling performance.

Never once settling into one particular vein of the many styles that they pull from, Evoking Winds pulls off the magnificent feat of packing many different kinds of punches to deliver one slugger after another where we see the ancient tales of Eastern European folklore brought to life in staggering detail with the added flair of the philosophies and questions that we see time again from the Witcher as the multi-faceted black metal always showing us new visages that none of us could have seen coming for one reason or another. The melodic factor is heavily present for the whole of “Bald Mountain” to make the record immensely gripping right from the beginning, but the folk infusions into the music itself are what brings the album to life more than anything else. You can feel the hooves of spectral horses pounding between the mountain pass and across mist-laden forests as Evoking Winds ponders its own fate and its implications as the night comes alive all around it with the fueling force behind it all the tremendous instrumentation that effortlessly ranges from immense riffs to gorgeous symphonic moments that elevate “Bald Mountain” immediately.

Far from a record that bites off more than it can chew, Evoking Winds proves yet again that they’re not a force to be underestimated as it is here that we see every part of the band’s sound brought together in great harmony for an immense spectacle that this particular corner of black metal is always craving for, and any one of us would be remiss to even dare suggest that the record doesn’t impress and captivate at damn near every turn. There is more than enough room in the fantastical reaches of black metal for names to make claims for the throne of the style even as long-revered acts still find themselves heralded in practically every instance, yet “Bald Mountain” stands as one of the most impressive works from Evoking Winds so far with it more than worthy of being considered of the best that we’ve seen from the style in a hot minute.

LISTEN to “Bald Mountain” on Bandcamp here.