Autumn arrives for Winterfylleth.
Led since 2007 by Simon Lucas (drums/spoken words, Spectral Apparition) and Chris Naughton (guitar/vocals, Atavist, Nine Covens), completed by Nick Wallwork (bass/guitar/vocals, live for Arð and Spectral Apparition), Mark Deeks (keyboards/vocals, Arð) and Russell Dobson (guitar/vocals, Necronautical), the English band once again collaborates with Candlelight Records to unveil The Imperious Horizon, their eighth album.
First Light offers a gentle introduction to this melancholic universe, before Like Brimming Fire takes over, burying us in its darkness. The vocalist’s growls join the surge, adding a wild touch to the majestic sounds that the rest of the band develops, helped by impressive keyboards that reinforce the striking contrast. The journey continues with Dishonour Enthroned, where the musicians immediately pick up their cruising speed, taking us with them on their wild ride to Old School roots and epic atmosphere. The riffs slow down, eventually joining Upon This Shore, which fuels the raging storm while letting the more ethereal elements fill us with wonder, before revealing a slightly more oppressive sound on The Imperious Horizon, where the vocalist gives free rein to his fury. A long soaring break allows us to catch our breath in the company of relaxing notes, but the saturation reappears to lead us into In Silent Grace, where the combo first places melodious leads before being joined by Alan Averill “Nemtheanga” (Primordial, Dread Sovereign) who gives the track its intense tones. The duo guide us through their grandiose darkness, but To the Edge of Tyranny returns to aggression, offering a rawer approach to the band’s music while retaining the keyboards, then it’s with an instrumental interlude called Earthen Sorrows that the musicians allow us to regain our composure. The violence resurfaces as soon as The Insurrection kicks off, plunging us back into the rage thanks to an imposing instrumental and visceral screams, weaving a web as aggressive as it is majestic, which we also find on The Majesty of the Nightsky, an Emperor cover that the band manages to integrate into its universe, keeping the composition’s original ferocity, but also its tenebrous tones in a vibrant tribute.
There’s also an alternative version of In Silent Grace, with Alan Averill “Nemtheanga” singing all the vocal parts alone. The song remains the same, but his voice offers a different approach to certain passages.
Winterfylleth‘s adventure is written with a majestic touch on The Imperious Horizon, the last worthy representative of the discography to date. The album is long, but it can be savored like a real epic, with the rhythm of the musicians.
95/100