WINTERDEMONS

Formed in 2003, the black metal of Greek band WINTERDEMONS is at once a traditional slab of iniquity that takes its cues from the Scandinavian originators, yet offers just a little bit more for the discerning listener. "The Darkest Storm" is full of traditional black metal harmonies and rhythmic battery, but also takes care to incorporate nuance and arrangement twists into many of the tracks to keep the disc from becoming a casualty of the been-there-done-that discard pile.

Air under the wings in just the right places and smart tempo shifts go a long way. There is plenty of war-fed riff storms, such as on the album-opening title track, a song that burns hot and smells of charred remains. So as not to suck the listener into a miasma of redundancy, songs like standout "Night of Doom" and "Eternal Sorrow" (which also includes some death metal-like vocals) incorporate light picking sections, and atmosphere-enhancing subtlety to offer a little light and shade to the proceedings, no matter how brief the section. Something as simple as a brief break for airy guitar on the aforementioned title track makes a big difference as well. Along the same lines, decent variety in the riffs and harmony parts are found, at least more than the typical black metal copycat. Wispy parts are found on "Kill the Whores of Satan" as well, the near-serenity shattered with a blood curdling scream and eventually ending up in DARKTHRONE-groove territory to good effect.

The band's attention to detail, though not in a wound-tight sense (the organic flow and raw mix is certainly present),makes for an album that gets a bit better with repeat listens. No watershed release here, nor an overly unique effort, but a pretty darn good representation of quality black metal that stays just shy of sameness. The fickle fans might even get some enjoyment out of it.