PAYSAGE D'HIVER is a one man black metal band from Switzerland, who formed in 1997. The latest release “Die Berge,” is its third full-length album; ten demos, four splits, an EP, And two compilations. I was a big fan of their full-length debut, “Im Wald,” but felt “Geister,” was a step down but it was still solid. So where does my heart lie with “Die Berge?” It’s frozen on some tundra dead but while it was beating….I enjoyed “Dei Berge” quite a bit. The production is still on the raw side but, as always, I think it works for the sound that the musician Wintherr is going for. Honestly, I don’t think the music would have the same effect if it had cleaner production or a better mix. Some albums, some bands, need that raw power and this album does as well.

Besides, the themes and atmosphere of the album will only work with raw production. As always, the album focuses on the mysterious protagonist Der Wanderer. This time the journey might be his last as the album focuses on death itself and the feeling that his time has come. That is dark stuff but so is the music. The atmosphere is pure darkness, maybe even darker than black. It’s cold too, a constant icy touch from which there is no escape on the long journey. And the journey is long: eight songs and a runtime of over an hour and forty minutes. Some might say it’s too long, and while I understand that, an album of this nature needs some time to tell its story. Besides, my favorite genre is doom so I’m used to long songs. If you aren’t, I suggest taking this album on a piecemeal basis—it works that way as well. It’s shorter than “Im Wald” and longer than “Geister” so maybe he was going for the middle here in terms of length.

PAYSAGE D'HIVER’s music is extreme in its raw form but the album is quite atmospheric. In the end, it is black metal so of course it’s abrasive, underground, and against the grain but the album is also beautiful in a cold way. All aspects of life must be respected, even the end of it. I’m not going to go through the whole album as I would end up writing a novel but I will highlight my favorite songs that I feel represent the album the best. The album opens with the longest song, “Urgrund,” and the cold winds of the north. It’s highly effective and almost made me feel cold (of course I am reviewing this album in November and I’m currently not wearing pants. Wait, what?). The song builds up to the 1:29 mark where the first sparks of black metal ignite. The embers build like the crackling of a small flame that gets bigger until it dances against the obsidian skyline. The music is a little groovy, in an odd sort of way. The vocals bellow through, like ghosts searching for purpose. This is a very subtle song that grows deeper as it moves forward but also with each listen. I don’t think a song like this meant to be played just once and then having an opinion formed. This needs time to grow and it rewards patience. Melody lights the path as it rages towards the epicenter that finds the song pouring gas into the flame and the tempo getting more aggressive.

Although I like all three parts of “Transzendenz” , the first part is my favorite. This song is a slow burn or sure but it is also sprawling with a wide scope to it. The synths and metal aspects are meld together in a way that makes them hard to separate. But why separate something that works well together? Both styles create a nice dynamic that compliment each other and keep the winter snow heavy and cold. For me, this is one of their best songs and truly represents what the band and this album is all about. Another highlight is “Ausstieg,” and its aggressive approach in the beginning. It’s fire and fury despite the cold setting but the synths/keys keep the atmosphere from getting away. This is also a song that you’ll want to listen to again and again, not only because it is good, but because its many details reveal themselves with repeated listens, like the ground thawing out and giving up its fallen secrets. The middle part is a blizzard, a whirlwind of everything that makes this project so convincing.

All in all, PAYSAGE D’ HIVER’s “Die Berge,” is a fantastic atmospheric black metal band that doesn’t sacrifice any hallmarks of the genre in return for such a long, winding, adventure. Despite its length, this is an engaging album that will provide hours of enjoyment as long as you are patient with it to show you what its made of.