ALBUM REVIEW: Morbid Winds – The Black Corridors of the Abyssal Depths of Existence Opened Their Gates

Recently the Polish Black Metal traditionalists MORBID WINDS delivered their debut album (consisting of a single song that lasts over 30 minutes), via Analog Ragnarok and Morbid Chapel Records.

Old school riffs howl into life with that familiarly Darkthrone-style majesty atop crashing cymbals, pounding drums and met with a glorious maniacal style of vocal. The grooving, punchy and rhythmically addictive approach to the sound soon barrels into a savage display of morbid and eerie, almost doom-like crawls. Scathing lead work and keys offer a richer texture to the raw snarl of the atmospherically apt Black Metal that marches through plenty of upbeat hooks alongside the more mournful moments, clearly not frightened to have a diverse and contrasting approach to their sound. The powerful instrumentals and vocals clearly harken back to early 90s Norway, but it is done so in a much less generic manner than we can often see in the modern day. The legitimacy of the production and primal approach to the layered sound has a genuinely cold and dark feel to it that has that same urgency. Certainly a potent start (to the song).

Continuing much in the same vein but with subtle elaborations occurring on the primitive howling Black Metal, the energy of this release is naturally conjured with a superb performance of ritualistic rhythms and bestial aggression. A dark cloak of ambience swaddles this malicious recording, in a really tasteful way that doesn’t detract from our scoldingly untamed drums, guitars and vocals. The thin, trebly mix is suitable for the style and moreover adds legitimacy to the feel they are going for, while not feeling pointlessly dull or sounding intentionally poor. Perhaps if you are burnt out on Nordic style Black Metal, this will completely disinterest you, but those who still yearn for that sacred time of dangerous Black Metal can find a veritably suitable soundtrack from Morbid Winds whom clearly have not lost their passion and power to them for standing strong.

Morbid Winds offer a convincing and ruthless approach to their old school Black Metal worship even if in the rather unconventional package of a single, half hour track. Do not be put off, this material rules and has all the blistering iciness of 90s Norwegian Black Metal with plenty of groove and atmosphere alike.