The Howling Wind are the brainchild of Unearthly Trance's frontman Ryan Lipynsky, and Into The Cryosphere,released last year, is the act's second album, following on from the promising but patchy debut Pestilence and Peril. ITC is a vast improvement.
The awesome opening track, "The Seething Wrath Of A Frigid Soul" , sets the tone for the rest of the record, full of hyperborean atmospherics and sything black metal riffage. There's enough variety to keep the listener interested through the whole record - the instrumental "Impossible Eternity" is melodic and graceful, while the middle riff from "Will Is The Only Fire Under An Avalanche" is probably the most chillingly epic one on the whole album. Props to Lipynsky - the man not only displays marvelous fretboard pyrotechnics (with some tasteful yet dexterous soloing), he handles the bass and vocals, which for me are one of the highlights of this band. You may have noticed the epic nature of the songtitles - this is complimented by the majestic, if a little clichéd album artwork.
Highly recommended if you like your metal to be like a soundtrack to being lost in the icy tundra with little hope of salvation.
7.5/10
Highlights : "The Seething Wrath Of A Frigid Soul", "Will Is The Only Fire Under An Avalanche"
See also - Emperor, Mayhem, Bathory, Darkthrone, Unearthly Trance
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