Review: “What Once Was” by Fimbul Winter

Born from a spontaneous reunion which saw them perform 1994’s Amon Amarth demo “The Arrival Of The Fimbul Winter”, Fimbul Winter are a Swedish Death Metal force that many will recognize. Formed by former Amon Amarth members Anders Biazzi (then Hansson), Niko Kaukinen, and Fredrik Andersson who stand alongside Munitions vocalist Clint Williams, the band have roots that run deep as torchbearers of the Swedish Melodic Death Metal tradition. Deciding they had unfinished business and wanted to offer something cold, intense and without compromise, they went in search of a session bassist who could match their steel and they found Tobias Cristiansson (Necrophobic, Grave, Dismember). Their debut record is “What Once Was”, an affair mixed and mastered by Marko Tervonen (Sarcator, Ashen, Dethrone).

The band comment on “Mounds Of Stones“: “We’ve poured our passion, energy, and heart into this track. It’s more than just a song, it’s our way of showing the world what we’re capable of, and we can’t wait for people to finally hear it. Mounds of Stones tells the story of a figure shaped by suffering, who turns his pain into vengeance. He isn’t remembered by name, only by the silence and the stones left behind.”

A tale from the depths of midwinter, opening cut “Storms Rage” serves as a rousing introduction to Fimbul Winter. A tune to help you breathe more easily painted in glorious Melodic Death Metal that matches the brief and does indeed hark back to the very beginnings of the genre, it also finds Williams in this element. His vocals are as fierce as the storm his lyrics depict, his storytelling abilities shinning through from the very start. Title track “What Once Was” continues the deep seated sense of melancholia in the bands sound, a spoken word passage a glorious addition. A desperate cry from a tormented mind to her ghost in the fog, it finds Tervonen bringing Cristiansson’s bass forward in the mix so his staccato rhythms can be heard clearly underneath the glorious leads. It has to be said that each track has a classic air to it, offering comfort while having instant appeal in familiarity and “Mounds Of Stones” is no different. It has a lush extended solo which is brilliantly vibrant and elevates the burnt offering to a new realm of existence, the thunderous percussion and driving rhythms all part of what makes the sound so majestic. A solo straight out of the gate separates “A Soul That Soared” from the wolf pack, Williams vocals having a more emotive quality which suggests this one means more. His throat splitting roars sound almost unhinged at points and curiously enough there is just a hint of Devilment about it as the band deliver us to evil with consummate ease. You can picture the Fimbul Winter pushing into Extreme Metal territory should their bitter black hearts so desire but for now they remain steadfast in their Melodic Death Metal ways, mirroring the harsh beauty of nature with the powerful “In Solitude’s Embrace“. Another symphony of despair with a mournful heart and soul stirring elements, it leaves you to wonder just how long it will be before this band are offering a debut album [8/10]

Track Listing

1. Storms Rage
2. What Once Was
3. Mounds Of Stones
4. A Soul That Soared
5. In Solitude’s Embrace

“What Once Was” by Fimbul Winter is out 14th November 2025 and is available over at bandcamp