Winter’s Breath – Eine düstre Winternacht

Founded in 2020, the Viennese one-man black metal project, going under the moniker of Winter’s Breath, in the dead of winter 2025, released its third full-length record called Eine düstre Winternacht (A Dark Winter Night). It arrives after Graveyard Symphonies (2021) and Stories Left Behind (2023). Eine düstre Winternacht, featuring twelve songs and one hour of playing time, has been released through Austrian label Running Wild Productions.

Tracklist:

01. Abenddämmerung
02. Eine düstre Winternacht
03. Berg aus Eis
04. Schwarzer Engel
05. Der Aufstieg
06. Der Fall
07. Meer der Vergänglichkeit
08. Kalter Schrei
09. Befreiung
10. Morgengrau
11. Rising Storm 2025 (Bonus)
12. Ein letzter Weg (Bonus)

Mastermind and multi-instrumentalist Burkhard “BL” Lettner (who also runs Fallaness) is the only man behind this project. At first I couldn’t believe that one man is responsible for all the great sounds that are to be heard on Eine düstre Winternacht. He’s obviously handling the instruments in the superb manner; regardless of if it’s guitars, drums, double bass, synths, orchestral elements or the vocals – every instrument and every vocal line serves the atmosphere. In other words; not a single moment feels superfluous or misplaced as he’s displaying exceptional skill, mastery, and technique in playing musical instruments.

The material is structurally sophisticated and complex, yet instantly catchy. The use of German lyrics is probably expected here (expressing local identity), but BL’s handling of spherical keyboards, tranquil passages, spoken vocals and a dense atmosphere, demonstrate his huge creativity. On Eine düstre Winternacht he tells a self-contained story while still manages to be both deeply personal and universally wintry.

Certain things are inevitable to repeat (as his ambition was never to create something new and groundbreaking) like some cliché cold and captivating atmospheric elements or/and the cover art that is not the most innovative, yet the one which perfectly reflects the vibe of this album. One can assuredly say that it works fine here, with the aforementioned truly captivating orchestral elements that carry the mood and overall atmosphere of this an hour long chilling and atmospheric musical adventure.

If I’m to choose a couple of my favourite tracks, then I’ll go with title track, “Eine düstre Winternacht” which begins with a powerful drum pattern, followed by some ghostly & synthetic passages, creating a slow tempo and building a bridge to the following guitar-driven third track named “Berg aus Eis”. Another great song is record’s eighth track, “Kalter Schrei” due to a great mix of powerful choirs, frosty keyboards and chaotic drum passages, creating an epic firework.

The production of Eine düstre Winternacht is uncompromising and pristine with pounding and forcefull drums, rich and deep guitars, numerous echoing and ‘choral-like’ arrangements, are all perfectly placed and together creating a wonderful, ghosty and listenable experience that will satisfy all fans of atmospheric black metal. Therefore, if you are looking for a dark and cold journey in the middle of winter then you have come to the right place.

Eine düstre Winternacht is available now at Running Wild Productions Bandcamp store.