Listening to it now, tried to avoid as many previews as possible.
Looks like meat is back on the menu boys!

Not digging it all that much. It's rather unimpressive honestly and it sounds closer to the various atmospheric black metal albums that've been released in the past 5 - 6 years than to a full fledged WITTR album. That vital ingredienet that separated the band from the rest of the pack, whatever it was, just seems to be missing here.

I acknowledge though that it's been 6 years since WITTR released an actual BM album (and a DAMN good one at that), and that with the abundance of atmospheric BM bands around these days it's getting increasingly difficult to carve out a truly distinct sound in the style. Could be kinda like how Deathspell Omega's latest left a lot of people unmoved purely for the fact that now there are so many Deathspell Omega-alikes out there, so their music doesn't feel as groundbreaking anymore

WITTR are one of my favourite bm bands out there and I'll always hold the Two Hunters/Black Cascade/Celestial Lineage triptyque in high regard. That said, I wansn't blown away by this one: it's solid and alright and has a couple of wow moments, but just lacks meat - not as majestic as Celestial Lineage and Two Hunters, nor as intense and relentless as Black Cascade. Anna and Steve Von Till are good additions but the album as a whole feels a bit too short and meagre.

Written by God Alone on 20.09.2017 at 17:57

Album as a whole feels a bit too short and meagre.

And it's likely going to be praised just about everywhere as one of the crowning achievements for black metal this year

Written by Auntie Sahar on 21.09.2017 at 03:50

And it's likely going to be praised just about everywhere as one of the crowning achievements for black metal this year

My friends on RYM are already going nuts for this. Eh. I kinda envy them.

Written by Auntie Sahar on 21.09.2017 at 03:50

And it's likely going to be praised just about everywhere as one of the crowning achievements for black metal this year

You shouldn't worry so much about what others think

Written by Paz on 21.09.2017 at 20:47

You shouldn't worry so much about what others think

It's less about caring what others think and more about being concerned that this album is going to overshadow other, better written black metal albums from this year simply because of the big name that's attached to it and not due to the actual quality of the music (or lack thereof, rather).

Written by Auntie Sahar on 21.09.2017 at 20:52

other, better written black metal albums from this year

Haven't been following the scene too closely, have any names you could throw a brother's way?

Written by Marcus on 22.09.2017 at 16:15

Haven't been following the scene too closely, have any names you could throw a brother's way?

Skaphe, The Ruins Of Beverast, Progenie Terrestre Pura, and Endalok have definitely put out some of my favs

^ I enjoyed those just as much as this one.

Didn't really finish this but the tracks that I listened to were seriously underwhelming. Like, the lost the atmosphere and the expansive sound that they had. Earth and Pillars does a much better WitTRish black metal that WitTR itself.

Strangely, or maybe its not so strange, I really like the ambient parts, but the riffs are so generic I can't tell them apart. Sounds rehashed and like they only added black metal sounding riffs because they felt like their fans demanded it. But I suspect the band only has passion for the ambient parts now.

Written by Auntie Sahar on 20.09.2017 at 13:58

I acknowledge though that it's been 6 years since WITTR released an actual BM album (and a DAMN good one at that), and that with the abundance of atmospheric BM bands around these days it's getting increasingly difficult to carve out a truly distinct sound in the style. Could be kinda like how Deathspell Omega's latest left a lot of people unmoved purely for the fact that now there are so many Deathspell Omega-alikes out there, so their music doesn't feel as groundbreaking anymore

In my view it's not exactly lack of originality but rather songwriting. That's the problem when bands get reconized by their songwriting on a certain album, because this is an ability which fades away with time. Even if they were constantly putting out atmo bm albums on an yearly basis for these 6 years it's hard to tell if the same ability they had back then would still be there.
And it's something doesn't depend on skill or inspiration, it's just... sometimes you get the thing right and sometimes you don't... They may never be able to reproduce the same level of atmo bm back, but they also may be able ro reproduce it on the next record, it's something difficult to measure or predict...
I feel that's also what happened to DsO's latest. They still stayed true to their style, but it lacked in songwriting

Written by mz on 24.09.2017 at 21:34

Didn't really finish this but the tracks that I listened to were seriously underwhelming. Like, the lost the atmosphere and the expansive sound that they had. Earth and Pillars does a much better WitTRish black metal that WitTR itself.

Sun Worship are a pretty good derivative of the WITTR sound as well, scope them if you haven't

Written by Karlabos on 26.09.2017 at 00:18

Sometimes you get the thing right and sometimes you don't... They may never be able to reproduce the same level of atmo bm back, but they also may be able ro reproduce it on the next record, it's something difficult to measure or predict...
I feel that's also what happened to DsO's latest. They still stayed true to their style, but it lacked in songwriting

There are indeed some bands that drop like one or two phenomenal albums that never again get matched, and with these bands, after a while it does get a bit ludicrous to expect anything of such caliber again. Thing is, I never really colored WITTR as one of those bands, because well, honestly, up to this point they've just crafted one amazing release another. I was kinda thinking they'd turn out like Enslaved, you know, one of those bands that're just somehow consistently remarkable and never really seem to falter. This one has turned that opinion around though, obviously.

But hey, you're not wrong. Cheers to a slam dunk on their next one, I suppose. Or cheers to the contrarian wish that they'll start a new band that explores the Celestite sound more

I'm already getting tired of this. Eh.

Perhaps it was because I went into this album with low expectations, but I'm really liking it. I've listened to it four or five times now and it continues to grow on me. I dunno... I wouldn't put up in their top three, but I think it's a solid release.

Eh, I actually liked it. Shows I'm a pleb I guess.

Written by Desha on 01.10.2017 at 00:30

Eh, I actually liked it. Shows I'm a pleb I guess.

Yeah I liked it too lol. I'm becoming more of a casual metal fan as of the last few years tbh though. I don't think it is on the same level as some previous releases, but I found it enjoyable overall **puts self in corner, waiting for the hate-train ....**

The Old Ones Are With Us
One of best BM song ever, Fen mastermind will understrand it, nature, winter, dying season, changing season, inspiration, true BM , underrated BM lyric themes, not st. ann as other sings. Nature what we have, I have no clue where does this band comes from, I mean state, but this is my life and I do offerings as well.

Musically its like band mix between Europe and old Aggaloch and puts own atmosphere, ideas and music, its journey trough band! Amazing band , maybe best bands work, maybe best ABM album in 2017.

Satan is all about nature and vice versa but you're too thick to realize that.

Written by Bad English on 06.10.2017 at 01:07

The Old Ones Are With Us
One of best BM song ever

I really love this song too! The keys in the end are just beautiful..

I mean I didn't think it was horrible, just decent.

Like VIG said it is decent, not horrible. But at least lots and lots better than 'Celestite'

Written by Marcel Hubregtse on 11.10.2017 at 15:24

But at least lots and lots better than 'Celestite'

Indeed.

Is there something more beautiful than this?

Yes there is.

Written by Marcel Hubregtse on 13.10.2017 at 09:12

Yes there is.

Examples please

I'm a newbie when it comes to collecting vinyls but my latest addition (Deafheaven "Sunbather" 2xLP) may indeed look better.

Written by Guest on 11.10.2017 at 15:33

Written by Marcel Hubregtse on 11.10.2017 at 15:24

But at least lots and lots better than 'Celestite'

Indeed.

You're both nuts, Celestite was amazing

Written by Auntie Sahar on 18.10.2017 at 19:14

You're both nuts, Celestite was amazing

I am generally a fan of the genre and I hated Celestite.