Winterkhor - From the Depths of Time
Winterkhor’s From the Depths of Time (9/10). This Russian Melodic Black Metal record captures a bone-deep, historical chill and ancestral memory. Read more!
Band: Winterkhor
Album: From the Depths of Time
Genre: Melodic Black Metal
Country: Russia
Label: Independent
Released: January 13, 2026
Introduction:
There is a specific kind of cold that only exists in the Russian Far East. A bone-deep, historical chill that permeates the Taiga. It is this atmosphere that Winterkhor has successfully bottled in their latest offering, From the Depths of Time. Following their 2024 debut Cry of the Taiga, the duo (consisting of HellFire on guitars and Sarg on vocals/drums) has returned with a record that feels less like a collection of songs and more like a fever dream of ancestral memory.
Track Listing:
- The Land of Tyrma
- At the Call of Night
- From the Forests and Pines
- The Battle of the Neva
- In Memory of Heroic Deeds
- Chern - The Queen of Darkness
- Echoes of Bygone Times
The Album:
From the Depths of Time is a masterclass in balance. While many "pagan" black metal acts lean too heavily into folk gimmicks or lo-fi "refrigerator" production, Winterkhor opts for a polished, yet biting, sonic profile. The production is expansive, allowing the layered guitar harmonies to breathe without sacrificing the grit of Sarg’s venomous rasps. The album opens with "The Land of Tyrma," setting a cinematic tone that persists throughout. The track introduces the band’s signature move: transitioning from blistering blast beats into mid-tempo, melodic passages that evoke the soaring grandeur of Moonsorrow or the icy precision of early Enslaved. "The Battle of the Neva" is the album’s centerpiece. It’s a relentless, driving anthem that captures the chaos of medieval warfare. The drumming here is particularly noteworthy. Sarg’s performance is tactile and organic, avoiding the "clicky" triggers that plague many modern Black Metal releases. "Chern – The Queen of Darkness" showcases the band's melodic side. The lead guitar work by HellFire is melancholic and haunting, weaving a melody that will stay stuck in your head long after the final chord fades. "Echoes of Bygone Times" serves as the albums closing track and features a guest solo by Sergey Kalinichev that elevates the song into almost progressive territory. It is a fittingly epic conclusion to a journey through the annals of history, paganism and melodic black metal.
Conclusion:
From the Depths of Time manages to be both aggressive and deeply nostalgic. It doesn't reinvent the wheel, but it spins it with such conviction and technical prowess that you can’t help but be swept up in its icy current. If you’re looking for music to accompany a trek through a frozen forest, or just a cold winter night in your bedroom this is it.
BMZ Rating: 9 out of 10
Support the band at:
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