Winterwolf - Cycle of the Werewolf (2009)

Artist: Winterwolf

Genre: Old School Death Metal

Origin: Finland

Year: 2009

Label: Xtreem Music

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Deathchain are relatively known in the underground scene and considered a solid Finnish death / thrash metal band, plus their hefty discography has some really good albums. 

A lesser known fact is that the band were previously known as Winterwolf, between the years 2000-2001, before becoming to Deathchain in 2002. The band had released to demos as Winterwolf before changing name, and their sound back then was raw and closer to pure death metal.

Some of the band members decided to bring Winterwolf back to life in 2006, while Deathchain were still active, and their first and only album so far, Cycle of the Werewolf, was released three years later, in 2009. Antti from Demilich also took a part in the album.

I ordered the record when it was first released because I wanted to fill a request, but a fun fact is that I initially wanted to buy a CD version. I was confused and ordered an LP version instead, which was a big surprise to me when the package arrived.

I didn't (and don't) have my own turntable, and it was impossible to rip the album into my computer, and back then it was still not available online. I had the LP and couldn't listen to it, only after a couple of years when I used a friend's vinyl player. But at first, I was really eager to listen to it, I had it and still it was impossible for me.

Cycle of the Werewolf is obsessed with fullmoon and wolves, as in its booklet, the band has used simplistic, black and white drawings of werewolves transforming and similar scenes. All the lyrics and most of the booklet text is in classic, lovable old English font.

The tracks are all revolving around that subject, and the album was: mastered at Studio Perkele (Finnish as fuck), recorded at Moonlight Studios during fullmoon. Winterwolf are so focused on this classic horror theme, that it's what separates them from the rest of the death metal scene. The guys have all the time they want to express themselves through Deathchain, so they can go with something graphic and straightforward in a side project. 

Musically, Cycle of the Werewolf is not a revolution, but stays in Swedish / Finnish old school death metal ideas. The production is harsh and there also is a cover of the legendary track "Cenotaph" by Bolt Thrower. 

I have Winterwolf close to my heart because, through my ordering mistake, it was the first LP I ever bought when I first started collecting in 2008 - 2009. I used to get CDs then, but it's funny that my first LP came around like that.

The band released a split with Disma in 2011 (review here) but haven't done much since. Cycle of the Werewolf is intended for fans of old school death metal, and people who have been into the genre for some time. A second album by them is a kinky dream for me but I don't mind them staying in the shadows like that.

The album title is very possibly inspired by an awesome short horror story by none other than Stephen King, released in 1983. You can find some information about this book at Wikipedia.

Track listing:

1. Intro to Death

2. Phantoms of Madness

3. Cemetary by Night

4. Lycanthropic Aeons

5. nataS fo tsaeB

6. All Shall Be Eaten

7. Shadows, Howling and Doom

8. Wolf Skin Mask

9. Return to the Shadow of Death

10. Cenotaph (Bolt Thrower cover)

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Similar to: early Entombed, Dismember

Café suggestions: Phantoms of Madness, Wolf Skin Mask, All Shall Be Eaten

Listen on Bandcamp

Disma & Winterwolf - Split (2011) Review

Origin: New Jersey, US | Finland
Genre: Old School Death Metal
Album: Disma / Winterwolf
Label: Doomentia Records

Seeing these two bands combined in one release was something to be excited about, since I really like them both and have material they have released. This split was released in 2011, making it the second official release of Disma after their successful demo "The Vault of Membros", and the last release of Winterwolf to date. Both bands are regular smashers in the rest of their major releases, but this was something of a hurting failure.

The one and only aspect of the split that absolutely crashes and burns everything around it, is the shitty production. This is some annoying, fuzzy sound that almost steals the bands from their music and leaving nothing but a horrible buzz behind it. The guitars loud and painful to listen to, hardly leaving the rest of the instruments their sound, like the squashed drums and no-bass. I wish it had better production, as the tracks themselves are not that fucked up.

Each band offers one track in the split, and Disma's side with has " Of a Past Forlorn" which was included in their record Towards the Megalith, so there is no need for you to damage yourself with this version. Winterwolf have a new song "Eaters of the Cross" which is hard to appreciate under such circumstances, even though I can definitely say Cycle of the Werewolf is what you need to hear if you want to know this band.

All in all, this is a rather worthless release that happened just for the sake of happening. My view of each band is not any lower than it was before listening, since I know they are both good bands, but hell this here is not at all good. Solid bands of retro death metal with great material on their backs, both of them, yet I suggest you turn otherway here. At least the cover is cool.

DAMAGE: [2.5/10]