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July 1990 - 2020: 30 years of: Into Darkness.

The heaviest record known to mankind.

...after of course, the perfection of Master Of Reality and Vol. 4 from the Godfathers of everything heavy: BLACK SABBATH.

Long Island NY, a small scene most recognized with hardcore and deathmetal, but never for doommetal, yet. The deadly trio of WINTER combines the divine power and might of mid-70s BLACK SABBATH, the riffing patterns of HELLHAMMER, the rock-drive of TROUBLE and the sludgy-vibe of PENTAGRAM ...all packed in a state of the art analogue production.

The fuzzy-bass tone would make Lemmy blush, while the multi-tracked guitars are so damn loud and thick, it literally makes sub-woofers hum in the low-ends. The pristine drum acoustics are the focal point on this record. The crisp overheads clashes and rings while the bassdrums and floor-toms are earthquake worthy on their own. Imagine BLUE CHEER's 1968 Vincebus Eruptum LP released in 1990, with the deathmetal-element, it would sound like WINTER. Add some tasty keyboards and effects to further the listener's experience when enjoying this album on a proper audio-system ...you will reach a nirvana soundscape.

The 5:57sec intro "Oppression Freedom / Oppression (reprise)" is a glimpse of the apocalypse to come. Simple dissonant guitar-chords with spacey effects, percussions like rolling on tombstones that plunges us into a deep winter and then rise ! "Servants Of The Warsmen" is the most up-beat WINTER ever was. A full mid-paced piece, with signature NYHC beats is an assured moshpit as it slowly but surely mesmerizes you with it's fat-toned power-cords.

Dive head-first into darkness with the cold "Eternal Frost". An old-school deathrash experimentation of both mosh-music, spiritual-sights and ethereal communication ...the mid-part is an homage to the mighty early CELTIC FROST out-of-body legacy, for reference see the FROST's "Danse Macabre" and "Tears In A Prophet's Dream". The suffocating quicksand of "Goden" will slowly drown you, while the divine 9:27sec title-track is a Titanic-maelstrom of muddy metal-riffs and dark-punk attitude. Essential listening !

While the mid-to-late-80s was a full-on arms-race in both thrashmetal and deathmetal, WINTER was a total shock to hear and witness, going into a 90° direction. The Into Darkness-concept is based on the premonition of a post-WW3 world, were inhabitants would be living in a nuclear ...winter. A young fresh band with a unique tone, vibe and signature.

Released in the hot summer of 1990, the icy cold and heaviness is still felt today in many metal-circles, 30 neanderthal years later. The now cult-status band have achieved in such a short time is nothing but full respect from their peers in the thrashmetal, deathmetal, doommetal and stonermetal scenes.

Sadly, Into Darkness would be the band's only full-length CD. Their label went bankrupt and WINTER disbanded not long after. In recent years, the re-united trio has played selected gigs, but never recorded new music.

RISE !

*
Servants Of The Warsmen = video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wvLXTfcL5jg
Into Darkness = full CD
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lhYOl1KbV7s&list=OLAK5uy_neUGN83ZT_lHSwWEF7Qn6GqiJght9dfMs
Live reunion in 2011 = part I
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PgxYwcTkrsI
Live reunion in 2011 = part II
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cx3jnM3Zwfg

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