Appalachian Winter – Ghosts of the Mountains

Appalachian Winter – Ghosts of the Mountains

In the distance is the thunderous echo of canons firing, as a battle chant begins. Rebellion within the Young Nation is a fairly obvious song title, reflecting on the history of the United States in a very unbiased way, as something that is simply part of this one man’s reflection on the world he lives in. A gentle acoustic guitar and strong synth create the dynamic of a strong atmosphere while a whistle prepares the listener for the Metal onslaught that is bound to happen at any moment, and when it does it is as glorious and epic as anything ever heard before.

Many comparisons can be made between this and other projects, in various ways. I do find the name amusing, as there is an acoustic project called Cascadian Winter from one Chris Beug, perhaps leading to a future rivalry? Truth is though, I will admit winters here are not nearly as harsh as ones in Appalachia. Related to Cascadia, this truly does the concept of Cascadian Black Metal justice, although this is in no way related musically, for it comes much closer to the actual idea. Much like Panopticon singing about the local history and natural world in the lower Appalachian foothills. Appalachian Winter sings about the cold mountain and the auspicious feeling of being in a former battle zone, areas which shall always be haunted by ghosts. I will reiterate that many times over, as CBM is much more than just a sound but a feeling that is directly reflected by the world the creators of this music live in. Appalachian Winter follow this concept to the dot, as this music could have been created nowhere else besides in Pennsylvania, on a frozen mountain surrounded by the bones of those who died in war.

D. G. Klyne

Patriarchs contains both a soaring clean vocal line which reaches epic proportions, and a majestic feeling akin to Falkenbach. Synths are a big part of the sound, and the curator of these tunes, D.G. Kylne, is certainly a fan of quality production, much of this sounds like it was created with his keyboard and computer, creating the atmosphere and drum tracks, then layering the vocals.

Ancestors of the Lake sounds like it could be used in a fantasy film (I know I say this a lot, but only because so much music would fit into this context), with a spoken word soliloquy on the plight of ravens. All throughout is what I assume to be a banjo playing, and the various instrumentation used throughout sounds like a Metal version of music for the Revolutionary War. In this sense I am directly reminded of Iced Earth, who alongside Dimmu Borgir feel like the two biggest influences.

Due to how often the synths are used, they often seem to overpower all the other elements. This is too bad, for the guitar playing is really top notch. I have difficulties telling if that is a real drum kit or not, which only stands out in random places, and when it does it sounds overly processed. I do know a drummer has recently been added, and it is mentioned in the booklet (see why you need to have the actual album(!?) real drums were used on Keystone , so perhaps that answers the question. Assuming that is the case, the next album, which considering the amount of output in previous years I would assume is coming out next month, should have a dramatic change in sound. With so many different elements, I imagine it is quite difficult to try and balance all the things that are going on, although actual drums and turning up the guitars would help dramatically. Much of this relies on a keyboard and other instrumental sounds for atmosphere, making me wonder if he needs to get a job with the History channel.

Many parts of this release are instrumental, showcasing his ability to write songs that are honestly quite spectacular. As strange as it may sound, I think at times musicians can be too good and need to take it down a notch, and Appalachian Winter is guilty of this. This is absolutely over the top, the word epic has many connotations, but at the same time I appreciate just how well done this is. I do not exaggerate when I say he needs to team up with someone for a documentary that would be part history, and part fantasy, as the things he is trying to express perfectly expresses both actual events of the past and how the imagination of the present transposes those events into our modern times.

At times, the drum sound and the high-pitched vocals can make me cringe, this album is certainly deserving of its complaints. Others though may be able to overlook such things, or even enjoy a glass-shattering scream; this I will never understand. As said, it can be a bit much between the battle drums and the keyboards, which linger on too often, creating too much distance between vocals and guitars. I have the feeling he needs to get a completely instrumental non-Metal album out of his system. Overall, the genuine talent is admirable, and just for the sake of hearing what a fellow fan of Metal, in the traditional sense, has been working on for these past few years, I would definitely suggest this. What is amazing is how this one person has created five albums in a mere six years, from the writing of the music to the recording. At the same time, maybe suggestions from others and taking a little more time would behoove him. What I do know is this is something I will remember for a long time, and that alone makes it worth listening to.

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Track List:

01) Rebellion Within the Young Nation
02) Patriarchs
03) Ancestors of the Lake
04) The Town Old Man Schell Built
05) Keystone
06) The Great Battle
07) Pennsylvanian Fire
08) The Great Flood of 1889
09) The Cemetery Where Slaves Lie Buried

Rating: 6/10
Written by: Patrick Bertlein
Label: Nine Gates Records (US) / NGR – 002 / CD
Black Metal / Folk Metal