There are just some people that work away in the underground tirelessly. The depths of the underground harbor some truly dedicated individuals, and there are always those that manage to go above and beyond to become constant rivers that flow with new material all the time. And while there is always the conversation of quality over quantity, the dedication of these musicians is not to be understated for it can be after grinding away for years that something exceptional can come about. Being just some a powerhouse of continuous new music, it’s within the cold mountains that Gormoth delivers a captivating work.

The delicate balance between the atmosphere and the black metal in the vast reaches of atmospheric black metal is something that even the finest can have difficulty grappling with. It’s a thing where you don’t want one to overpower the other lest you lose control of your own creation, and while we’ve seen more than enough performances where atmospheric black metal is given the proper amount of finesse in order for both the atmosphere and the black metal elements to move in sync, what Gormoth achieves within “Winter” is a textbook example of how to do it in real style. Pulling from its extensive catalog of several EPs, albums, and seemingly everything else you could ask for, it’s throughout what seems to be a scant work of only four tracks that Gormoth goes where many other acts of black metal have gone before yet the results are simply delectable from start to finish. Reveling in the smallest moemnts that are effortlessly able to open up and offer immense beauty amongst the scathing nature of the black metal that Gormoth commands with real presence and mastery, it’s through the whole of “Winter” that we’re given four pieces that offer a vision of what the whole of the season can be. From its gentle nature that catches the eye to its harshest wins that cut to the bone, Gormoth tapped into a commonly visited well yet came out with material that is just fascinating from top to bottom.

It oftentimes the straightforward approach that can make for the more interesting performances, yet that never once stopped Gormoth from injecting this work with the personality and flavor that the act has attained for itself across its many, many releases. While I cannot speak for what Gormoth has put out before this effort, “Winter” is the sort of creation a band could build a truly awesome reputation out of.

LISTEN to “Winter” on Bandcamp here.

LIKE Gormoth on Facebook here.