As people across the world begin to prepare for Christmas, 1349 are here to bring Black Metal to the fore in its live and raw form.
Formed in 1997 by Ravn on vocals and bassist Seidemann, Archaon currently features Frost (also of Satyricon) on guitar and Frost (also of Satyricon) on drums. This lineup has been a constant since 2001 and has seen the band tour with Celtic Frost, Cannibal Corpse and Carcass, as well as playing festivals such as Wacken and Hellfest.
Having recently released The Wolf and the King in 2024, 1349 have decided now is the right time to unleash this live album, recorded at Oslo’s Parkteatret shortly after the lockdown was lifted. My word, you can feel the energy that has been pent up during that restrictive period as it boils over through the instrument’s vocals and the crowd’s.
I am often dubious about live albums, as the sound can be hit-and-miss, and the performance can be a little flat if the mix focuses too much on the crowd – I usually avoid them, but fear not: the sound is spot on.
Every erupting kick drum strike, guitar solo, bass string hammer and stunning vocal note is captured perfectly but not too cleanly. We all like some grit and atmosphere to our black metal, and again, the live recordings fear that this is lost, but not here. From start to finish the balance between that kick and the high hat is exactly where it should be, allowing 1349 to display that power and darkness that the band set up to share and have been so successful at doing that they are still going nearly 30 years later.
The 13 tracks span around 65 minutes and is the epitome of proper, original Black Metal that not only has paved the way for so many but also sets the standard for what the genre should sound and feel like. It’s rare for the energy to be captured so well and then spat down your ear canals, but in Winter Mass, it is not only a huge testament to the top-class band but also to the sound engineers and mixing team.
My scepticism on live albums has been hugely disproved here, this is brilliant example of incredible Black Metal that’s sounds like it did when it was recorded.
Winter Mass will be released Friday November 28th 2025 via Season of Mist.
Review:Ed Ford
Tracklist
1. Enter Inferno (1:48)
2. Sculptor of Flesh (3:18)
3. Slaves (4:43)
4. Through Eyes of Stone (3:36)
5. Cauldron (5:34)
6. Striding the Chasm (5:56)
7. Chasing Dragons (7:15)
8. Serpentine Sibilance (5:00)
9. I Am Abomination (5:16) [WATCH]
10. Golem (1:38)
11. Atomic Chapel (8:17)
12. Dodskamp (5:39)
13. Abyssos Antithesis (7:08)
Total runtime: 1:05:07
Country: Norway
Genre: Black Metal
FFO: Marduk, Celtic Frost, Behemoth, Mayhem, Immortal
Online
Pre-order & Pre-save
https://orcd.co/1349wintermass
Follow 1349
Official Website: http://www.legion1349.com/
Bandcamp: http://1349som.bandcamp.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/1349official
Instagram: http://instagram.com/1349official
Twitter: http://twitter.com/1349official
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/1349auralhellfire
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/150xbiJGnTy1tSBZ9EFKnT
Deezer: https://www.deezer.com/en/artist/10673
Apple Music: https://music.apple.com/us/artist/1349/79664050
TIDAL: https://tidal.com/browse/artist/22185
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/1349/e/B001LHI2SI/