Like all the previous albums from Winterfylleth, The Threnody of Triumph takes some time getting adjusted to. The listener simply won’t be able to uncover all that is glorious about this UK black metal band’s newest release in just a single listen or two; this needs to be given the proper number of spins to fully become engrossed in the richness and depth it presents. Anybody familiar with Winterfylleth already knows this and to those fans: you will not be disappointed with The Threnody of Triumph.

In classic (well, four years’ worth of classic) Winterfylleth fashion, each song is a rollercoaster ride with many peaks and valleys all the while maintaining some sort of underlying ominous, chilling atmosphere. Regardless of whether the band is blasting away at hyper speed or taking things down to a snail’s crawl, everything about the music on The Threnody of Triumph oozes of emotion and passion in the darkest of senses. Again, it’s exactly what is to be expected from Winterfylleth.

Like countrymen Wodensthrone who also  just released their newest opus, this quartet has clearly taken their time in crafting every little nuance of each song; they’ve left no stones unturned in terms of being able to properly execute their latest work of art. Winterfylleth likes to weave many a different element of music into their sonic tapestries yet they pull it off without becoming bogged down underneath their own fusions. Their nooks and crannies of experimentation are sometimes hidden, sometimes out in the open, but they never seem forced or contrived.

For the most part, each of the songs on The Threnody of Triumph hover around the seven-minute mark and though they typically have the same vibe and delivery, they don’t run into each other; each has its own strength to stand on its own two feet. The first few spins of the record might sound like everything is just jumbled together but like some of the finest releases (especially of this type of black metal), it takes quite a few go-‘rounds to fully ingest and absorb what is going on.

“A Thousand Winters” explodes out of the gate like Secretariat, properly kicking the album into high gear instantly. Winterfylleth stack that monster with a succession of the enchanting “The Swart Raven”, “A Memorial”, “The Glorious Plain” and “A Soul Unbound”, which is inter-spliced with the chilling “Aefterield Freon” instrumental .Winterfylleth are relentless with their diverse black metal assault and just keep the onslaught coming until the haunting melodies of the closing moments of the title track finish off the album.

The Threnody of Triumph is a fantastic album, without question. Whether it winds up being among the ten best albums by year’s end remains to be seen. Is this, Winterfylleth’s third full-length, the Manchester blokes’ finest hour? That’s debatable because they’ve released nothing but quality since Day One, though The Threnody of Triumph certainly adds to their sturdy resume. Highly recommended, this one is.

 

 

 

 

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