THE HOWLING WIND "Into the Cryosphere" (Profound Lore)

It’s been awhile since I did a small review for The Howling Wind’s fabulous debut album, “Pestilence & Peril”. And here comes the all-fired “Into the Cryosphere”, alienating the band’s sound. Yes, “Pestilence & Peril” may be possessed by this COOL sound, airblown into the cult sphere. BUT! In this brand new record, Killusion (aka Ryan Lipynsky) is barely unmasking his true face. Each one of the tracks have been proceeded into a barbaric concept. At last, the earth limits are decreased. The casing of cosmos is viewable. Humanity is put in decrial. Quorthon, I guess, would be proud of this. And I hope Thomas Gabriel is proud of this, too. The age decrepitude, poisoned by magic; the fenland of demons! The eventful life of mr. Killusion is of some fallout destiny. And he dares faking the falsehood impersonation of this world. Everything (and I mean every-fucking-thing) is trembling. These are bad-tempered times where prophecies seem to be much promised of the end. Promised and avouched. Parasitic Tim has built great part of the band’s personality also. He is essential. Argus Sun provides aridity. Still, though, the howling winds are freezing the bones, muscles, even the subconsciousness. Unholy angels spy our every movement. Meanings are hidden between arithmetic symbols. Do not misunderstand. Purposefully, the sentences of this text are probably not placed in the right order. Besides, we should all adopt confusion from now on. Not because The Howling Wind have excreted a confused album. Their music is doloroso for they’re paeans who sing of the end. And the end won’t be that beautiful. It’s going to be massive and fastidious. Try adopting confusion so that the terror you’re going to feel seems more familiar. There’s going to be a great flabbergastation! Try and read between the lines. Even if those furibund howling winds are blown hot on you, you’ll feel coldness smashing your teeth. This is the band’s great ability after all. If I’m permitted to do so, I’d say this is the best album (including Lipynsky) I’ve listened to since Thralldom’s “A Shaman Steering the Vessel of Vastness”. Magnificent, a surrealistic epos, viciously constructed. Good lord Ryan, have pity on us!

Miltos XIC

THE HOWLING WIND "Pestilence & Peril" (Profound Lore)

It turns out to be something really difficult to discern the differences between “res cogitans” Ryan Lipynsky’s two main (if I’m allowed to consider them that way) bands. I speak, of course, for Unearthly Trance and The Howling Wind (reincarnation of mighty Thralldom). The nihilistic borders that differ one from another are way too elusive after all. The band’s black metal is of ancient times, based on the heritage of both Darkthrone and Celtic Frost. Like moving on thin ice, the record’s atmosphere is so aclinic like two hands that have grabbed your throat but never give you salvation. Thick spit. Ryan’s ability in writing fucking great riffs have been since long ago acknowledged through Unearthly Trance but this excretion will gift you an almost mesmeric mood. It is almost settled in USA’s black metal heritage as one of its diamonds, in fact. Songs like “Virulence 33″ could be part of Nachtmystium’s last opus. Painted with less psychedelic colours, of course. The truth is that the album is well functioned as a whole. Once you listen to it from the beginning to its very end, you might be dragged into its abyss. The “The Inevitable Conclusion” track is a Gehenna basifugal creation and somehow sums up the record’s substance. One slight disability is the lack in bass’s presence as it can be at least described as meagre. If it was mixed a bit more up, I think, it would add to the album’s atmosphere (Vikernes ever tunes it the right way) without losing its frost at all. Anyway, “Pestilence & Peril” is a tricky experience for someone to live. For sure, it is hostile and kind of inaccesible. For those who dare, though, the price shall be an harlequin trip through malevolence. It’s worth trying.

Miltos XIC