AN NCS VIDEO PREMIERE: KALT VINDUR — “ŻYWIOŁY”

Kalt Vindur are a Polich black metal band, though the name they chose for themselves are Icelandic words that mean “cold wind” in English. They come from the southeast of their country, from a region called Podkarpacie, and they have labeled their music “Podkarpacki Black Metal” (“Subcarpathian Black Metal”).

That label signifies the significance of the region’s geography, history, and culture in the band’s musical inspirations. Those inspirations are at the forefront of their forthcoming new album Magna Mater, their first release on the Greek label The Circle Music. That’s evident in the song we’re premiering today through a lyric video.

The name of the song is “Żywioły“, which in English means “Elements”. Kalt Vindur vocalist Celsus describes it this way:

“Żywioły” is a nod to our ancestors, whose deeds, lives and desires are reflected in each of the evoked title elements. Your relationship to spirituality, religion, etc. is not important. The energy of your predecessors is still present, even though their bodies have long since crumbled into dust. This energy drives our lives today, just as our energy will go back to the next generations.”

Kalt Vindur‘s music has been described as an amalgam of atmospheric and progressive black metal. It has created a balance between light and dark, between sounds of violence and moods of haunting melancholy, while also reaching heights of epic grandeur.

But while those features have remained steadfast, the band have found new and more mature ways of achieving the contrasts and the balance, while channeling their inspirations. This new song is proof of that.

Contrasts quickly become evident in “Żywioły” as dissonant, high-toned guitars throb like a fever in the blood and the rhythm section rumble like an avalanche. The tension escalates in electrifying fashion into a scourging swath of frenzied black metal riffing, furiously hammering drums, scalding shrieks, and maniacally flickering leads that pierce through the ravishing tumult.

Another contrast arrives when the sonic storm recedes. Big booming drums rumble, and the music becomes both more sweeping and more sorrowful, and in this phase the lead guitar seems to wail in grief. The intensity of the music swells again. The riffing rolls forward in dense and daunting waves backed by measured beats, though the song ends in soft and somber tones.

Those are our impressions. Here is how Kalt Vindur guitarist and founder Svart explains what happens:

“Żywioły” is a trance track, the introduction is followed by a total blast, for more than a minute there is no slowing down, there is a permanent blow after blow, then it calms down to go into a rollicking epic story about our Slavic ancestors.”

The accompanying video sets the words to scenes of natural beauty. The words are in Polish, but the band have provided an English translation, and we’ll include that just below the video.

In the flames I see the past
Shivering shades calling for remembrance
Dancing in the sun
All the mothers of the generations to come
In the soil I see the dust
Of those who have passed on
Filled with faith
Bonded by legacy of nature
In the water I see the reflection

Of primal pureness and pride of rain-swollen rivers
Washing the shores of eternity
In the air I feel the wind
A cold blow is carrying the whisper
Of those who have passed on
To answer the call of the prayer

In addition to being the band’s first release on The Circle Music, Magna Mater is also the first one to feature their new drummer Rafal Chruścicki (Czarnuch).

The album will be released in January 2024, but is now available for pre-order. In addition, “Żywioły” is also now available for streaming on all digital platforms.

Below we’re also including the official video for the song “Bless Us”, the first single from the new album and another song that’s well worth your time.

PRE-ORDER:
https://thecirclemusic.gr/product-category/the-circle-releases/?filter_artist-name=kalt-vindur

THE CIRCLE MUSIC:
https://linktr.ee/thecirclemusic

KALT VINDUR:
https://kaltvindur.bandcamp.com/
https://www.facebook.com/kaltvindurband