Just the other day, during my habitual excursions through the obscure online bazaars of even more obscure music, I bumped into an interesting, independent Norwegian/Russian metal project, WINTER’S EMBRACE. It is a duo with a penchant for the dark and Gothic. Judging by the scarce info I could gather online, they only have one album out so far – their debut “Dying Grief,” released independently on February 21st, 2026. There seems to be a namesake thrash-metal band in the United States, as well, but as far as I know, that bunch has only released one demo in 2018, so I reckon this Gothic duo could face some hassle for its name if either band gained serious international fame. (Coming up with a unique and catchy name for a band is a real bitch, I know – I’m currently collaborating with an as-yet-unnamed music project and so far, it turns out, every idea for a name is already in use somewhere!) The primus motor of this duo, multi-instrumentalist Alex Bjørn, has released several albums under different artistic aliases on Bandcamp, ranging from DSBM and post-black metal to nature-inspired melancholy soundscapes, so it’s no surprise that these elements are also quite prominently present in the music of WINTER’S EMBRACE, as well.
The journey begins on an interesting footing, as “The Crack You Never Saw” opens the album with a melancholy violin theme that could fit any contemporary Nordic-folk endeavor. Soon, the plot thickens with a touch of slow-crushing Gothic doom as the guitars set in. Ama Necer‘s powerhouse vocals resonate by turns with the air of Amy Lee of EVANESCENCE, especially when she sings her heart out, and PVRIS, during those softer passages. I mean, she’s got such a strong voice that I reckon she could front any symphonic metal act around. The opener is quite a strong entrée, and with the rest of the tracks following suit, I wouldn’t be surprised if some pedigree metal label signed this act in the not-so-distant future. Sure, the song follows the unholy tenets of the Gothic/doom genre so well that you could say it does not really offer much by way of novelty, but I’m pretty sure that fans of this particular metal delicacy aren’t necessarily looking for any. I’m all in for experimentalism, but I don’t mind listening to tradition-savvy metal either, especially when it’s done really well.
The album throws in a good pinch of more contemporary flavors, too – even some catchy hooks that you could deem pop! What really makes this whole endeavor stand out is the vocal department. According to the duo’s Bandcamp profile, all vocals are provided by Necer – even those harsh passages that range from the metalcore screams in “Ice in the Veins” to the slightly more throaty post-metal-esque lines in “Fading Thaw.” The vocals sound very impressive across the board, so this could only mean one thing: the pantheon of exceptionally diverse vocal queens has just gained a new member. Necer‘s vocal range goes from those clean, symphonic powerhouse vocals to extremely raw and throaty growls like nothing to it – and it sure helped me to fall in love with this album, as the music proved no less dynamic, balancing atmospheric depth and heavy riffs in all the right measures. Here and there, I couldn’t avoid thinking that a less metalcore-inflicted SPIRITBOX could sound like this. On the other hand, EVANESCENCE with a tighter and more brutal metal edge wouldn’t be too far a cry either.
Boasting only six tracks, this offering feels like a tight jab right on the nose. Thus, being so cohesive and concise, it’s nigh impossible to single out one or two highlights – each track is a banger. In addition to the tracks mentioned above, I like the clean vocal layers in “Only Echoes Left Inside,” as well as the NOVEMBRE-like atmospheric melancholy of “Hollow Autumn,” let alone the touch of post-rock in “Silent Orchard.” So, I reckon there really is no other option than to listen to this selection in one go from start to finish. For an independent affair, the album sounds exceptionally well produced, but I guess this wasn’t the first time these two musicians were grinding at it. Mark my words, this duo is fast becoming a force to be reckoned with. I just hope they can keep their name – WINTER’S EMBRACE sure fits this type of atmospheric gloom better in comparison with blackened thrash metal.
Written by Jani Lehtinen
Tracklist
- The Crack You Never Saw
- Only Echoes Left Inside
- Fading Thaw
- Hollow Autumn
- Ice in the Veins
- Silent Orchard
Lineup
Ama Necer – vocals, programming, effects
Alex Bjørn – guitars
Label
Independent
