Paysage d'Hiver
Paysage d'Hiver


4.5
superb

Review

by Silenius USER (66 Reviews)
July 1st, 2007 | 728 replies


Release Date: 1999 | Tracklist

Review Summary: Cold atmospheres, raging guitars and the occasional beautiful melody.

Paysage d'Hiver is the solo project of Wintherr, having released 10 demos and 2 splits over the course of the bands very productive career. The releases are extremely limited, almost never on CD format, and can be difficult to find (even in mp3 format). The S/T album is no exception, being limited to 300 copies (although a re-release has just been printed in CD format). It is often hard to compare the works of this band as all I have are tape rips of the releases (the tapes sell out at an insane rate).

The cd is divided into three songs, but if you have the rip that I have you will find the last two songs merged into one due to the nature of where the songs are on the sides of the tape. Anyway, the demo starts out with quick distorted tremelo guitars similar to Darkspace's faster sections (note that Wintherr also plays in Darkspace). The music blasts on for several minutes in a monotonous drone creating a very atmospheric environment. If you are not the type to digest poor production or very long songs (the first being 20 minutes, the second 33) then I would not recommend that you begin your delving into black metal with this cd. What can be found here is remarkable however if you get past the (very fitting) bad production. There are moments of extremely amazing atmosphere, such as the violins in Welt Aus Eis which create a huge contrast between the pounding drum, screaching guitars, and distorted vocals. The violins provide a calm and smoothly melancholic melody that juxtaposes the chaos of the rest of the music. Tempo changes are also employed for maximum effect. Compositionally there are no flaws in the arrangement of the songs.

Paysage d'Hiver translates to winter landscapes, it the music does exactly that. While books may focus on developing characters through text the music here actually develops the imaginary environment through music. If you have heard Burzum's Det Som Engang var (the song), you know what I mean. Excellent balance of synths and guitar/bass/drums/vocals. The music even employs acoustic breaks and then goes back to a section that is totally different without disrupting the flow. It's hard to describe, one must hear it to understand it.

It's hard to find an album that can help stimulate more fantastic thoughts than this album, that is why it essential to approach this cd with the correct mindset. Listening to for musicianship and seperate instruments is completely beside the point. The only intent Wintherr's music has it to create a cold atmosphere, and if you allow yourself to try and understand this the album will make a lot more sense. If you are the type of person who looks for technicality and musicianship than I would rate this a 2/5 for you. Half of the music has absolutely no melody that can be hummed or even remembered, but it is all the more beautiful when a melody does enter the music, as it is arranged and composed so effectively. A must have for all fans of Vinterriket, Burzum, and Darkspace.

5/5
Re-release available in A5 digipak format from Cold Dimensions.



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user ratings (441)
4.2
excellent


Comments:Add a Comment 
Cravinov13
July 1st 2007


3854 Comments

Album Rating: 5.0

Oh snap! I love this album! Great review.

Angmar
July 1st 2007


2688 Comments


I looked this guy up on MA, and it seems great, but why does he release constant demos that are all really long, i mean, aren't demos traditionally short... couldn't he just call them full-lengths. :p Cool review, I will check this out.

Cravinov13
July 1st 2007


3854 Comments

Album Rating: 5.0

they're demos because they're not released on any real label silly. It's like what I do with my solo projects.

Angmar
July 1st 2007


2688 Comments


Oh I see, but I didn't think you needed a label to release a full-length, can't you just do it independently?

Nostalgia
July 1st 2007


64 Comments


they're demos because they're not released on any real label silly. It's like what I do with my solo projects.


What the hell? There's tons and tons of artists who produce full-lengths and aren't signed to a real label. It's called self-produced or home recording, buddy.

Awesome review as always, Anton.

Cravinov13
July 1st 2007


3854 Comments

Album Rating: 5.0

you could but I guess for black metal it looks cooler to say it's all demos. I call my stuff

full lengths but then again it's not black metal.



[QUOTE]What the hell? There's tons and tons of artists who produce full-lengths and

aren't signed to a real label. It's called self-produced or home recording, buddy. [/

QUOTE]



I'm well aware of that buddy.



EDIT stupid html/BBcodeThis Message Edited On 07.01.07

Silenius
July 1st 2007


305 Comments

Album Rating: 5.0

A really limited tape release (most less than 300 copies) is more akin to a demo release than a full-length, even if the it is the playing time of a full-length.

Cravinov13
July 1st 2007


3854 Comments

Album Rating: 5.0

/M -_- /M

Silenius
July 1st 2007


305 Comments

Album Rating: 5.0





Thanks for the positive critique everyone.

rattlehead42147
July 1st 2007


1345 Comments


good review, i love burzum so i think i will check this out

kalkal50
July 1st 2007


2386 Comments


I stumbled on their newest album Einsamkeit, so I'll download that one, but for now I'm still looking for this one. It sounds top notch btw.

Confessed2005
July 1st 2007


6009 Comments

Album Rating: 3.5

This sounds very cool indeed.



Nice review Silenius.

711
July 1st 2007


1340 Comments


Getting this atm

kalkal50
July 1st 2007


2386 Comments


Almost forgot, good review. Worth my vote.

Crysis
Emeritus
July 1st 2007


17640 Comments

Album Rating: 4.0

I want this, if I can find it

711
July 1st 2007


1340 Comments


I'm having a pretty tough time finding this on soulseek.

blackmilk
July 1st 2007


583 Comments


I found it.

711
July 1st 2007


1340 Comments


Did you find this on soulseek? I've had no luck there.

GodspeedYou
July 1st 2007


10 Comments


If anyone finds this on soulseek, could you IM it to me?

s0lidsn4k3zorz

Tyler
Emeritus
July 1st 2007


7927 Comments


Search the Black Metal room. You'll find it.



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