New Jersey’s own WINDFAERER forges a soundscape that entwines folkloric elegance with black metal ferocity. A portmanteau meaning, “one who travels with the wind,” like a vessel lost at sea, the name WINDFAERER sets a melancholic atmosphere of longing for a return to a homeland, yet with hopeful eyes set toward the unknown. It is the animus of guitarist and frontman, M. Gonçalves as an epic black metal paean to his ancestral homeland of the Iberian Peninsula (Spain and Portugal).
In 2009, WINDFAERER debuted their well-received demo, Glorybound. According to Nocturnal Cult, “The carefree and laid-back rural countryside of hilly and forested European landscapes finds new life and breathes once again within the structure of WINDFAERER’s songs.” The demo set the pathway for their first full length, Tribus (2010), and hefty critically-acclaimed EP, Solar (2012), in which they artfully combined epic folk with the allure of Gothenburg-style death metal and the grit of Scandinavian black metal. In a near perfect rating, Stereokiller dubbed the record, “absolutely spectacular,” while The Metal Crypt opined, “How a band with this much talent and ability remains unsigned is a mystery to me…”
On their most recent effort, Tenebrosum, WINDFAERER casts off the edge of black metal and takes the listener on a spiritual journey of discovery, embarking into the unknown, treacherous seas. The album is named after the archaic term for the Atlantic Ocean (“Mare Tenebrosum”), meaning “sea of darkness.” “From Euskadi and to Hyperborea, leaving Finisterra behind!”
Tenebrosum finds WINDFAERER building upon their previous release, Solar. Powerful violins are immersed in a battering ram of dynamic metal riffing, painting a scene with every passage. The sounds on Tenebrosum can be used as a soundtrack to venerate Gaia or as a rousing heavy metal battle cry. Tenebrosum was recorded at Frightbox Recording throughout 2014 and mixed and mastered by Rob Torres. With Tenebrosum, WINDFAERER have truly forged “a monument to the iron within our veins.”
In celebration of its forthcoming unveiling, today No Clean Singing is offering up opening track, “Celestial Supremacy,” for public appreciation noting, “With hammering riffs, thundering drums, and a squalling lead guitar, ‘Celestial Supremacy’ immediately conjures vivid images of storm-tossed seas. The music is accented by Ben Karas’ violin performance, which is both beautiful and searing, while guitarist Michael Gonçalves’ passionate, bleeding-edge howls and shrieks enhance the music’s driving intensity. There is blood-pumping fury in the song, as well as captivating melody, as the band weave together elements of black metal and melodic death metal to produce a riveting, powerhouse piece of music that hits with the force of a gale.”
Sample “Celestial Supremacy” courtesy of No Clean Singing, at THIS LOCATION.
Tenebrosum Track Listing:
1. Celestial Supremacy
2. Finisterra
3. Tales Told In Oblivion
4. Santería
5. The Everlasting
6. Morir En El Olvido
7. The Outer Darkness
WINDFAERER will bring this sonic rituals to the stage on a short bout of east coast performances beginning tomorrow at Saint Vitus Bar in Brooklyn, New York. Later in the month the band will raze Trenton, New Jersey and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania followed by a performance at the Pocono Folk Metal Fest in Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania in August with additional live actions to be announced in the coming weeks.
WINDFAERER:
7/01/2015 Saint Vitus Bar- Brooklyn, NY
7/17/2015 Championship Bar – Trenton, NJ
7/24/2015 Kung Fu Necktie – Philadelphia, PA
8/01/2015 Pocono Folk Metal Fest – Stroudsburg, PA
Tenebrosum will be released independently on September 22nd, 2015. Preorder info to be announced shortly.
For review links, interviews and guest list requests contact liz@earsplitcompound.com.
