The black metal project Sort Storm released their debut full-length album, “I Vinternatt”, digitally on June 9, 2026, followed by vinyl and CD releases via Sonorous Night and Purity Through Fire.

The Norwegian duo Þunarr (drums) and Peregrinus (vocals, all instruments) remade a true reversion to the past: Satyricon “The Shadowthrone” and Ulver’s “Bergtatt – Et eeventyr i 5 capitler” and “Nattens madrigal – Aatte hymne til ulven i manden”. The opening track “Svartsinn” is a majestic mid-paced song that captures the grim atmosphere and the raw riffing, sending chills down my spine. The acoustic textures shimmer with distinctive layering and a range of chilling passages are perfectly fused.

The choir is evocative and frigidly sweeps over the atmosphere; the riffs are mesmerizing in the next song, “Jorden Skal Meg Fortære”. There is plenty of up-tempo pacing with tremolo picking and fast sections throughout the album,makings every song atmospheric while the clean choirs are memorable.

The sound is lo-fi,and you can hear the sharpness in the guitar tone. The menacing vocals cascade; they have a very dark feel. The approach to each song is dark, brimming with somber tones of a cold forest landscape. Another great song is “Ser Du Aasen”, which kicks off with glorious Norwegian black metal tremolo riffs that beautifully complement the acoustic textures.

The guitar work is meticulous as the flow of each song alters the mood with clear emphasis on melancholy. Another aspect of this album is that Sort Storm offers plenty of frostbitten black metal, driven by tremolo-picked riffs and aggressive drums.

After the epic-sounding riffs and furious drumming, Sort Storm delivers a short instrumental cut, “Siste Dag Av Høst,” which features Argent Pale on flute and beautiful, clean guitars. The direction here makes more room for the folk elements to shine. “Til Tidens Ende En Natt” kicks off with blistering tremolo riffs and blast beats, with menacing rasps jelling perfectly without abandoning the soaring vocals.

The wintry, brooding landscapes, somewhat reminiscent of Ulver, capture the beauty of a gloomy forest and a luminous, full, cold moon. The album incorporates lots of pagan chants, but despite the raw guitar, which creates many majestic moments, the tempo is subdued by chilling melodies and the marching pace of the drums.

There is minimal use of synth on the album, but this does not undermine the consistent tremolo-picked riffs. Midway through the song Sort Storm throws all the magic into the music. The final two tracks, “Med lengsel & jammer” and “Denne Vinternatt” are well-crafted. The raw momentum of the guitars showcases the approach of these Norwegians who have presented themselves on this timeless album.

The icy coldness of the music is balanced, conjuring many catchy moments and tempo changes that alternate between slower passages and fast, blistering paces. The album plunges into many aggressive sections and excels at keeping the dynamics sounding fresh and raw. The album’s artwork is atmospheric and equally melancholic as the music, and from the opening track, Sort Storm takes you on a journey through epic landscapes.

“I Vinternatt” pays a sublime ode to Norwegian black metal; this is a sincere homage to the Scandinavian roots. Sort Storm displays its musical prowess and qualities that are quite rare in the black metal genre.

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