At the heart of winter, there is metal, there is snow and there lies the soul of the north...

There exists a melody for every emotion

as we feel life everyday, in our environment,

there is a myriad of emotions awaiting to be sung.

I don't believe that labels apply for true music lovers.
So I write not this post from a "metalhead" point of view,
I propose for you to plunge into another realm of emotions,
all created from the cold cold winters, the melancholy of this solitude, the beauty of this deadly vision we adore.

Here in Canada we love our winters.

Every year we welcome it's first glorious entrance.
We gaze in awe as it slowly settles and creates it's white kingdom.
The velvety silence of a world cloaked in silver majesty,
where the crunching sound of every footstep is echoed into a hushed infinity.
The soft and cold embrace that shrouds the land is now apparent,
today we celebrate the return of the best season of all.

Winter is the moment when listening to metal is particularly enjoyable.

I chose not to add song links to my post. Firstly because they are easy to find on the internet
and secondly because I encourage a self discovery of these pieces. All individually chosen because these albums are better appreciated from beginning to end. They construct a whole, I would recommend a full album listen to all of these.
Here is my collection of favourites, of epic metal pieces, of wintry artwork well suited to accompany our northern heart.

Dimmu Borgir- Stormblåst (1996)

This epic 1996 album is a perfect fit for opening the cold season.
By far my favourite album to celebrate the autumn rain and first snows. It is an ever flowing stream of melodies best left unbroken,
alternating from beautiful to unforgiving, with tragic keyboard parts, guitars singing the whole way...

I just love these picture disks... They were made to be on display

There is a reason why black metal originated in Norway. All the really cold feeling black metal pieces come from where the weather is contributory to represent the best possible results.

Drudkh -Forgotten Legends (2003)

When this album came out in 2009 a friend of mine had just acquired it,
I had some blank tapes with me and copied this album and Autumn Aurora on the 2 sides of my 90 minute T.D.K.

Later that evening I returned home on foot in an epic snowstorm, threading forward with this new discovery, accompanied by my faithful yellow Sony walkman! That sadly I lost along the way....
Drudkh is a unique sounding Ukrainian band with many breathtaking albums, beautiful artwork and a very nature oriented feel, a heavy atmosphere with steady double bass drumbeats and faraway echoes of guitar chords and melancholy melodies calling to memories from another time...

They often use texts from famous Ukrainian poets as lyrics. There is no other band quite as them, very refreshing!

Forteresse- Traditionnalisme (2007)

A black atmospheric masterpiece of two songs, I have no2 and no115 of the 500ltd copies of this epic 7". It was specifically recorded in winter. This is my top Quebecois band of the genre, the lyrics sound great in French Canadian which is rare in metal. The mood is of melancholy, folklore, nature, tradition. Definitely a snowstorm favourite... Two tenebrous songs to kick off the season!!

Kampfar- Kvass (2006)

It sounds exactly as it looks, cold, bright, blindingly cold and deadly, strong and alive!
Here there is no compromise , we must march on towards the horizon!
Here you have to say skål!!

Emperor Reverence (1997)

The artwork is cute example of winter madness, originaly released as an intro to "Anthems to the Welkin at Dusk" this is a must!

Enslaved- Frost (1994)

The pillar of ultimate winter! Norwegian black metal at it's best! A true northern classic beautiful and sharp!

I love this special singularity... The logo of the band is etched right onto the case

Let us not believe that winter is death, it is simply a slowing down of time,
we must remember the importance it holds in the cycle, the benefits of this purification, this time for silence and renewal,
for it is a time to reflect and turn inwards.

                   From: Elaine @philodendron