While working my way through my new release file, I noticed that I had tagged Winter Obsession by Ismåne with a “Review this asap” sticker. On closer inspection I noticed that Winter Obsession had come out on December 21st, 2024, and even though that isn’t exactly a lifetime ago, it’s far back enough for me to come to the conclusion that I either need a P.A to help keep me on track or at least a couple of other writers onboard that I can whip until they review the shit I keep meaning to review but forget to review because life gets in the way of goddamn reviewing!

Still, those first world problems aside – and with a solemn vow to do better – I don’t think it matters that it’s taken me nearly a month to review Winter Obsession by Ismåne, as it fucking slaps.

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, somedays I just want some pure black metal rammed down my throat, and Ismåne proved just that. Once the opening track, Winter Obsession (Introduction), is done setting the mood with howling winds and Dr. Phibes organ playing, the rest of the record proceeds to strangle the shit out of you with uncompromising black metal that you need to play loud enough that your ears bleed.

This is a record steeped in old school black metal, with passing nods to the likes of Mayhem and Darkthrone along the way, but it is fresh enough to blaze it’s own path across the northern skies.

Sorry, couldn’t resist.

There playing on offer here is techniqually superb, and the vocals suitably demonic enough, but Ismåne manage to do something that a lot of bands within the genre fail to achieve, and that is to play with a sense of feeling and emotion. This isn’t just rage against the world for the sake of raging against the world music, this is deeper and will catch you unaware.

Especially on North in Eternal Frost, that had me feeling a strange sense of clostrophobic loss and emptiness through out. I can’t put my finger on why, or if it is intentional, but Ismåne don’t just rely on anger to get their music into your bones, and that is an admirable trait.

I really rate Winter Obsession, and I’m annoyed that it’s taken me so long to help bring it to your attention, but I advise you, my fellow black metal heads, to head on over to the Ismåne Bandcamp page and check it out for yourself.