The Rock Blogger

Paysage D’Hiver . Schattengang . 1999. 5 stars .

While I have already written at length about black metal bands here, including a Top 10 list for the genre, I felt compelled to return to Paysage D’Hiver, the one man project of Switzerland’s reclusive Tobias “Wintherr” Möckl. A prolific but incredibly obscure artist, PDH has released numerous albums over the past decade, usually labeled as demos and released sparingly as limited edition vinyls and CDs. The rarity of these works only adds to the mysterious and isolated nature of their sound, so thick and dense with atmosphere that the mainstream would choke if they listened to it. While metal circles on the Internet may be familiar with PDH’s acclaimed self titled record (which was featured on my list), I personally feel that Schattengang is the darkest gem of the collection, with its powerful and sinister riffs complementing the rustic and weathered aesthetics.

Divided into three epic tracks, Schattengang begins with a metallic crash that dissipates into cold ambient tones. Hushed growls slowly creep before the tremolo guitar riffs thunder in, tearing the recording into crusty, lo-fi shreds. The instruments in these heavy passages blend into each other as the droning blast beats and ragged guitar squalls become a massive wall of black noise, conveying the harsh and uncompromising force of a winter storm.

The barrage of sound often breaks down into crunching doom metal riffs accompanied by strange grunts and hisses that may or may not be coming from some mangy woodland animals. Keyboards and odd noises often make appearances, especially in the later sections of “Moloch”, as haunting bells and chimes are layered upon the minimalistic guitar riffs, juxtaposing their deep, bass-tinged echoes. Field recordings and samples make they way into the mix towards the conclusion of “Die Zeit des Torremond”, as you hear the wind, wolves and choral vocals give the recording a sense of place, further emerging the listener into the estranged mountaintops where the chaos unfurls.

There is calm after the storm of course, as the album’s final track, aptly named “Atmosphaere”, is a quiet ambient piece with refined electronic effects and synth keys, providing the deep freeze that follows the blizzard. As the simple composition carefully unravels with its icy veneer, you become entranced by its repeating drones and soft lifts. While its a stark contrast from the ancient, misanthropic marathons that make up the bulk of the album, this closing segment reminds you that Paysage D’ Hiver is an exercise in almost cinematic craftsmanship, leading you out into a desolate and overpowering sonic landscape.

While Schattengang may not be the first album name dropped by PDH fans, it is easily one of their heaviest efforts and remains an impeccable example of how black metal has expanded and grown in an almost psychedelic direction. While this album is impenetrably dark, its atmosphere and worn down aesthetics make it a truly authentic expression of wild and suppressed feelings. A masterpiece of raw black metal, Schattengang is an epic summation of Paysage D’Hiver’s singular vision and underground ethos.

If you are up to walking through Paysage D’ Hiver’s distant forests, you can head over to KUNSTHALL , PDH’s independent label, where this entire album, along with their self titled and others, is available in free mp3 downloads. I do insist you check them out.

This entry was posted on Monday, April 7th, 2008 at 11:30 am and is filed under Reviews. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.