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Based in Sala, Västmanland (Sweden), WINTERCOLD was originally a one-man band formed by Satanic Tony (Vocals, Guitars, Bass, Drums) in early spring 2008. From late summer 2018 the band evolved into a duo with Shelmerdine (known from Dark Awake) from Greece (on Keyboards, Vocals, Effects duties). Wintercold has been experimental from start and played a form of doom/goth metal the first years, nowadays they play their own brand of Atmospheric Black/Doom Metal with Neofolk/Pagan and Esoteric Ambient elements. Countless recordings and releases have been unleashed since it began, and the new one “When the Leaves Fall” (full-length 2023) is about to hit its light. Be prepared!… Here we talk exclusively with the band founder, Satanic Tony. - Interview by Atandistorted (May 19, 2023)
Hail! Tell us the history and background of Wintercold? What are some of the current status and news about the band?
The band started around March/April 2008 as a side project beside of the main band Demorian back then. From beginning I guess that it was never meant to be a serious band, but things got changed.
Please also introduce the band line-up? How did you guys gather the ideas for the band name and the overall concept of Wintercold?
The band started as a one man band with me on all instruments, vocals and during many years it was in that way except for some guest appearance on a few recordings. In late summer/autumn 2018 the band extended into a duo with Shelmerdine from Greece. On the album “The Passage” from early 2019 we were two members and since then the band and the musical genre/sound have grown and changed a bit, but without leaving the old philosophy and idea in the band. The band name was more or less just taken as something that was related to nature + it was also a track title from my other band Demorian and thought it was a good name.
In more detail, could you please define and describe the music of Wintercold, and also where most of the influences come from when talking about songwritings and the music sound?
The musical influences I take and get is from a huge number of musical genres, bands (Hellhammer, Bathory, Venom, Nokturnal Mortum is a few) etc. It is all from raw black/death to doom, folk, pagan, punk and some dark ambient. My personal idea from the beginning was that the band should do everything in it’s own way without try sound like all others, guess I have managed with that. Many call our music dark metal, doom, black metal and some not, guess we both leave all that to those who listen to our music. We create what feels right. Can add that I am personally most influenced by older bands from the 80’s and even some from the 70’s.
What are the lyrics all about?
Hard question, but most lyrics is about topics related to our world today, life struggle, war, nature, ancient history, nationalism, our roots, heritage, life and death, universal powers, apocalypse. Personally have death and much thoughts around a life after death becoming a big part lately, much thanks to so many around me that have left their lives and often to damn early and it is probably because my own age today. Death is something that’s impossible to avoid for us all and that’s just a fact.
There might be some of us unaware about your full discography, so please keep us informed about some of the latest releases from Wintercold?
Some of the latest releases we have done is the ep/mini album “Dark Thoughts” from 2021 that we are very proud of and was produced by Dark East Productions in Russia. Then in the same year the band released a all free digital album “As Above as Below” that is a very special one, many instrumental tracks and can be seen as a way of a experimental one with lots of folk/pagan music elements. “To Nature we will Return” is an quite new ep we released last year and so far only as digital that also got a lot of pagan/folk rock elements. In 2022 we also did a split “Bloodlines Energy Cosmic Covenant” together with Ihdamas from Colombia and that one was made on a limited cassette, here’s the sound is more in the way as “Dark Thoughts” and “The Passage” albums. Right now we working on the layout for our new coming full length called “When the Leaves Fall” that have taken a long time to finish, it will be out sometime this year.
How do you evaluate the band progressed in terms of musical composing and recordings on your new records as to compare with your old previous stuffs?
It is more or less in the same way for me when it comes to the recording process, but since the band now have two members it has developed and increased a lot in sound, guess we both believe it is so. With Shelmerdine in the band it have now a more mature/very dark, stable atmosphere, more than I think it was before. It is also because of that we all gets older and the longer a band goes on you also need to see and find new directions/ways in the musical creation.
Were there any live appearances from Wintercold?
No, sad to say, some years ago I had those ideas of do some live performance/gig with some guest musicians in the band. But I also think now that’s not the most important thing in life or as a band. Of course it would have been fun, but for what reason, for myself, or to sell some more record after, get more fans..ehh playing music and especially underground music is much more than that and was probably a more important thing for me when I was younger.
How do you predict the future of the band for the next few years to come?
In about 5 - 10 years from now I can absolutely see myself still doing music and it will not be pop (if the health is well), age is just a silly number and doing extreme music is absolutely nothing that’s just for a youth and have no such best before date in my eyes. In fact have I personally become a better musician just the last ten years so sometime is age and getting older a very positive side effect. I also hope that Wintercold as band is still active in 5 - 10 years, but of course I can’t give a guarantee as you never know what the future brings. We keep on going as long we do and that’s true.
Mind you sharing something about the extreme metal / underground music scene in Sala, Sweden? Are there any fanzines from the area?
There are no fanzines/magazines that I know of here today, back in the 80’s and early 90’s there was a few. Our town have some underground and known metal bands and a few punk bands as Grand Design (at least half band), Carnal Forge, Wombbath (not sure if all members live here now), Stonetrade, Mayhem in Bedlam, Below Under, Irritation (Hc/crust) and Freddie Brox. Older bands that the town is known for is In Thy Dreams, Harvey Wallbanger, Hans & Greta, Metal Militia, Nightfall, Steelattack, Section Eight, Tragic Serenade, Persecution, Asperity, Soulskinner and many more. There have always existed a lot of bands in our area and many have been so underground that none have even realised they have existed. But beside of myself there’s not many that have been focused or even have been close to do black metal or more extreme. We have a local rock/pub place here that many smaller local, but also well known international bands have been playing at so the scene is alive, but not like the old days. Spotify, Itunes etc.. have f**ked up a lot.
Thanks for spending your time for this interview. Any last words?
We thank you for the interview and hope people will keep on support the underground metal scene as it have started become fragile these days. The modern world with all the technology destroyed a lot the past years. Hails!
