Review Summary: Winter of Apokalypse hints at their capability with their full length, yet still have a ways to go if they wish to leave a lasting mark. Standard black metal with the occassional "that was kinda cool" moment in there.
Winter of Apokalypse is a band from Oregon, US. They play straight forward Black Metal and have a relatively good standing in todays USBM scene often mentioned in relation to Xasthur and Leviathan. I have had the mp3s for a while and recently bought the album hoping it would spark new interest.
The Line-Up
Slut - Bass
Armageddon - Drums
Fascist - Guitar
Alkoholik - Bass
Hell - Vocals
(Already one asks, are these guys serious, what's up with the names?)
The Production
Fairly well produced, very clear and distinct instruments. Drums are miked very well and sound very unlike most black metal drums that have a barely audible bass drum and a snare that sounds like the snare is either off or the head is really tightly wound. These drums sounds more like normal metal drums, very clear and easy to follow. Guitars are very trebly often giving off the very squeaky tremelo picking sound when up in the high end. The high end sounds okay and so does the low, but once again, it's not really what one looks for when names like Xasthur are dropped with this band. I mean the guitars are there but they don't create a wall of sound or any real atmosphere, and since the band has no keyboards the production really hurts here. Bass is pretty audible, but it depends on ones equalization on your music player. Vocals are pretty much in the middle of the mix and are very "dragging". It sounds like Hell is doing a half-assed job of screaming/growling since you get more of the idea that he is drunk or only semi-interested in doing the vocals well. No bone chilling screams or low growls here.
The Music
The cd itself is rather short, clocking in at only 35 minutes. There are eight songs. The main problem with the music is this is mediocre at best. Everyone sounds like they are getting the idea of what a really good band sounds like and are trying to emulate that but not successfully. The band does not really play the "depressive" style, nor a symphonic or orchestral style, it's just basic minor riffs with good drumming and slow droning vocals. I don't get the hype, this is like a band that does nothing new, they sound like every other band in Black Metal that does nothing to stand out. They don't have very raw sound, not a powerful sound, not a depressive sound, not a symphonic sound. All they have is that normal sound perfected by Darkthrone. The only song that shows the potential of the band is the intro track, which with it's almost catchy triplet riff, captures the unique elements of the band. By the time you reach the end you're not sure where one song started and the other ended, it kind of just happens, not demanding attention and asking for indifference.
Bottom Line
If you're a fan of USBM trying to find another band that fits nicely into that normal black metal frame seek no further. If you're looking for originality keep looking. These guys don't offer anything new, but are pretty solid at what they do.
Pros:
Track 1 - Dark Sinistral Path
Nothing is horrible wrong, everything fits and flows decently
Cons:
Half assed vocals
Repetitive songs
Amazing job.
