Winter's Breath is a one-man atmospheric black metal band hailing from Austria formed in 2020. The project released its first EP, Rising Storm, that same year, followed by its debut album, Graveyard Symphonies, in 2021, then the EP Undead in 2022 and Stories Left Behind in 2023 (an album that also features on my list of future reviews). Today, I'm going to take a look at the project's latest album, entitled Eine düstre Winternacht (which translates from German as A Gloomy Winter Night), released in late 2025 via Running Wild Production label in digital format and limited edition digifile CD.
Eine düstre Winternacht is an album with a total running time of 50:08 and 10 tracks (the CD version contains two bonus tracks). The Austrian one-man band offers atmospheric and melodic black metal that flirts with harsher passages, accelerations, tempo changes and some symphonic moments. The vocals alternate between high-pitched vocals, ritualistic chants and clear singing passages. The production is solid and the different structures are perfectly audible.
Now I would like to mention the moments that particularly caught my attention on Eine düstre Winternacht. After an intro entitled Abenddämmerung, faithful to the codes of the genre with sounds of nature and short melodies, comes the eponymous track Eine düstre Winternacht. From the outset, the melodies impose themselves with a slight folk aura. Within seconds, the instruments accelerate, then at 2:49 the atmosphere becomes immersive with slower drum beats and melancholic melodies. I particularly enjoyed the rhythm at 3:41 and the vocal performance from 4:16 onwards. On Berg aus Eis, the composition is immersive and melancholic; I really liked the subtle evolution of the tempos, before a sudden rhythmic transition at 2:52. From 3:11 onwards, more incisive melodies enrich the whole.
Schwarzer Engel presents a more menacing aura, and from 0:58 onwards, a ritualistic atmosphere sets in for a few seconds, before returning later in the track from 2:03 onwards. Like the previous track, Der Aufstieg maintains a menacing approach while incorporating clean vocals, prominent melodies and keyboard notes that add a melancholic depth. The whole gives the track a very distinct ceremonial atmosphere (a track I particularly enjoyed), I also mention the drum performance from 3:49 onwards. On Der Fall, after a few seconds, cathedral-like vocals immediately impose a ceremonial dimension. The vocals then take on a more invocatory form over a raw soundscape, before becoming heavier and more atmospheric from 2:44 onwards. At 3:09, the drums offer a fine demonstration, and we notice that the track alternates between high-pitched vocals and ritual chants within the same passages.
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| Album as presented by Running Wild Production |
The track Meer der Vergänglichkeit begins with a more emotional composition, charged with a heavy atmosphere, before the tempo accelerates, not abruptly but in a particularly striking manner. On the next track, Kalter Schrei, the songwriting becomes more direct and more in line with classic black metal, with melodies relegated to the background. However, from 1:34 onwards, a symphonic dimension is integrated into the composition, making the track more captivating, and then at 2:26 blast beats reinforce this frenzy.
The track Befreiung, the longest on the album, opens with bass and keyboard notes that together create a deep atmosphere. The composition gradually evolves into a slightly faster rhythm, with keyboards dominating the soundscape. At 3:19, the structure becomes more raw, then at 4:31 the atmosphere becomes more emotional, thanks in particular to the clear vocals and the almost repetitive melodies of the guitar. In my opinion, this track is an essential part of the album, perfectly summarising the musical vision that the Austrian artist wishes to convey. And the album concludes with Morgengrau, a cold and haunting outro.
With Eine düstre Winternacht, Winter's Breath delivers an album rich in atmosphere, alternating between melancholy, tension and more ritualistic passages. The careful songwriting and tempo variations reinforce the immersion throughout the listening experience. Just put on your headphones, close your eyes and listen
My Favourite Track: Schwarzer Engel, Der Aufstieg and Befreiung
