WINTERFYLLETH cd collection The Reckoning Dawn Hallowing Of Heirdom Dark Hereafter Black Metal
Winterfylleth are an English atmospheric black metal band formed in Manchester in 2006. They describe their music as “English Heritage Black Metal,” drawing upon history, landscape, folklore and Old English culture.
The name Winterfylleth comes from an Old English name for October, associated with the first full moon marking the beginning of winter. Musically, the band combines harsh black metal with sweeping melodies, choral passages and traditional English folk influences. Recommended for listeners of Drudkh, Wodensthrone, Saor, Wolves in the Throne Room and Primordial.
1. The Reckoning Dawn — CD Digisleeve, Candlelight Records
Released in 2020, The Reckoning Dawn marked Winterfylleth’s return to full black metal after the acoustic departure of The Hallowing of Heirdom.
“Misdeeds of Faith” immediately restores the band’s force, while “A Hostile Fate (The Wayfarer Pt. 4),” “Absolved in Fire” and the title track combine layered guitars, blast beats and grand choral arrangements. Acoustic interlude “Betwixt Two Crowns” provides a brief moment of calm before the album’s final assault.
A powerful and expansive album that brings together Winterfylleth’s aggression, atmosphere and sense of historical weight. The best starting point among these three releases for listeners wanting their established black metal sound.
2. The Hallowing of Heirdom — CD Digisleeve, Candlelight Records
Released in 2018, The Hallowing of Heirdom is an entirely acoustic folk album. Rather than a minor side project, it is a fully realised exploration of ideas that had appeared in quieter passages throughout Winterfylleth’s earlier records.
Acoustic guitars, clean vocals, strings, keyboards and natural soundscapes replace distortion and blast beats. “The Shepherd,” “Æcerbot,” “Elder Mother,” “Embers,” “Latch to a Grave” and the title track create a rural, melancholic atmosphere rooted in English landscape and tradition.
It may surprise listeners expecting black metal, but it reveals the folk foundation beneath Winterfylleth’s music. Recommended for fans of neofolk, acoustic music and the quieter side of Saor and Primordial.
3. The Dark Hereafter — CD Digisleeve, Candlelight Records
Released in 2016, The Dark Hereafter is one of Winterfylleth’s shortest and most concentrated albums. It contains only five tracks, allowing the longer compositions to develop gradually through repetition, layering and atmosphere.
The title track and “Ensigns of Victory” deliver the album’s main black metal attack, while “Green Cathedral” expands into a long, immersive centrepiece. It also includes “Pariah’s Path” and an English-language interpretation of Ulver’s “I Troldskog Faren Vild” from Bergtatt.
Compact but far from slight, The Dark Hereafter captures Winterfylleth at their coldest and most severe while leaving space for melody and reflection.