Album & EP Reviews

Wolves In Winter – The Calling Quiet

Wolves In Winter – The Calling Quiet
Argonauta Records
Release Date: 24.02.23
Running Time: 40:27
Review by Dark Juan
10/10

Greetings and salutations, chaps, chapesses and people who identify as neither of these things. It is I, Dark Juan, and I am here to tell you about music and shit, although barely half the words in this review will probably be about music and rather a lot more about whatever twisted fancy has seized my mind this time.

Dark Juan has mentioned many times that he lives in the Calder Valley in West Yorkshire, and that this area appears to be the epicentre of Doom Metal in the UK, as it has birthed the likes of Paradise Lost, My Dying Bride, Doom and the like. Wolves In Winter are also from this area and are composed of ex-members of Solstice, Lazarus Blackstar, Monolith Cult, Slammer, Chorus Of Ruin and others. Most of whom I drank with before I was aware they were in big ass British bands when I fetched up here in pursuit of Mrs Dark Juan many years ago. They were kind enough to inform me that they would break my fucking legs if I caused Mrs Dark Juan any suffering. Therefore, I have tried not to although there are a number of people who would contend that I cause suffering merely by existing. To be fair, they aren’t wrong, but Mrs Dark Juan is a tolerant soul and only threatens me with death when I am being particularly grumpy or unpleasant. Considering the amount of time I spend asleep, there really isn’t much time for me to fit being a twat in…

Wolves In Winter are that rarest of things for Dark Juan – a band that I got to see live, supporting a Ghost cover band (https://www.ever-metal.com/2022/03/15/ghozt-wolves-in-winter-the-parish-huddersfield-18-02-22/ being the link you require, should you wish to read about the Wolves In Winter live experience. Bless them, they even gave me the set list) before they had recorded anything, and to summarize the band and their sound, I had to peel my broken, bleeding and aching carcass from the back wall of the venue when they were playing as the band sounded absolutely fucking MONUMENTAL and that was where their sound plastered me. This has also transposed itself on to “The Calling Quiet”. Whoever mixed this album knows their Sludge and Doom Metal. There’s more bottom end than a battleship crammed full of heavyweight female Russian hammer throwers. The drums are all masterfully produced and easily heard above the geology-destabilising bass of Izak and the guitars rise phoenix-like above it all during lead lines and solos, otherwise they just lend themselves to levelling mountains alongside the bass. The vocals of Jake are also pretty fucking special, as they are impassioned and clean and the boy can emote. When we saw him live, Mrs Dark Juan described him as the “Ginger Thom Yorke of Doom”. I honestly don’t know whether this was a compliment, but all I know is I love his voice, his delivery and the whole fucking band and their sound. Jake sounds like an unholy coupling of a lower-ranged Chris Cornell and Eddie Vedder. Which is an image I am struggling to shake from my mind.

The music is like an unstoppable avalanche of power hitting you. Riffs of colossal majesty intertwine with sinuous lead lines and overall, the sound of Wolves In Winter can best be described as a beguiling and smoky melange of Paradise Lost and Crowbar, with a bit of Chorus Of Ruin and a smidgeon of Opeth chucked in for good measure. This is sludgy as fuck and I love it. ‘Oceans’ is all long, drawn-out grooves and almost choir-like backing vocals (but dissonant and harsh) and more than one song draws from twin guitar lead lines like the most classic of Metal bands but done with style and panache that fits the music perfectly. ‘Calling The Quiet’ shows this off to best effect in the intro to the song. A simple chord medley under the verse leads to a chorus and bridge of prodigious power, underpinned with the Sludge Metal of the rest of the band, yet played with a kind of almost prog sensibility, with a deep understanding of light and dark and allowing the music to space to breathe and develop in an almost organic way. The song ebbs and flows beautifully from quiet to FUCKING LOUD and it’s a hell of a closer to the record.

The Patented Dark Juan Blood Splat Rating System cannot express how much it adores Wolves In Winter and their quintessentially British take on Sludge and Doom Metal and can do nothing else but award the full on 10/10 for a debut album that’s fucking perfect in every detail.

TRACKLISTING:
01. Cord That Ends The Pain 
02. Nemesis
03. Pastime For Helots
04. Promised Harvest
05. Oceans
06. Calling The Quiet

LINE-UP:
Izak – Bass
Adam – Drums
Wayne – Guitar
Enzo – Guitar
Jake – Vocals

LINKS:

Disclaimer: This review is solely the property of Dark Juan and Ever Metal. It is strictly forbidden to copy any part of this review, unless you have the strict permission of both parties. Failure to adhere to this will be treated as plagiarism and will be reported to the relevant authorities.

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