Kalt Vindur marks 2024 with its third album.
Created and led since 2015 by Artur Szydlo (guitar) in Poland, the band can count on Szymon Hadala (bass), Wojciech Kozub (vocals), Marcin Borula (guitar) and Rafal Chruscicki (drums, Salceson X, Wesele) for the release of Magna Mater on The Circle Music.
They were assisted by Krzysztof Kokosinski and Cadit Nebula Silvam (Mysthicon) on keyboards, as well as Andrzej Czujko (Karpathian Relict) and Xakhariash (Maniacal Miscreation) for some tracks.
The album begins with the eerie slowness of Magna Mater, the eponymous track, which eventually ignites to let its majestic Black Metal roots and furious vocal parts emerge. Haunting melodies join the massive basis, which calms down in the middle of the track before exploding again, finally allowing gentleness to lead into Zywioly, which is immediately massive thanks to its raw sound. Blast gives the rhythm its visceral energy, contrasted by the soaring harmonics that skilfully integrate Progressive influences the band is developing alongside its dark violence, but the composition is relatively short, and Agonizing Luminosity takes over without delay, building a similar and equally captivating mix. The few softer passages that punctuate the rage are perfectly managed and natural, as are the eruptions following them and guide us to the unexpected backing vocals of Bless Us, which offer a touch of mystery before revealing all its fury over a hypnotic rhythm. The tortured leads carry us through to the heady Possessed by Lunacy, which doesn’t hesitate to place more airy touches on its unhealthy guitars, while keeping a polished and sometimes more aggressive approach, particularly on drums, as on Visions of Purification, which kicks off with virulent Old School elements. The musicians play cleverly with the track’s discordances, which is mainly rhythmically lively, except for the final, which lulls us to sleep before revealing Mist Over Cergova, a final rather different instrumental composition that emphasizes the progression within these mystical sounds and some Pagan influences, without forgetting to occasionally leave a slot for unleashed drums.
Don’t expect Kalt Vindur to deliver a purely aggressive rocky sound. If the band knows perfectly well how to handle Black Metal’s raw elements, they built Magna Mater, the new piece in their adventure, with majestic Progressive influences which can only make them increase.
90/100