There are many bands that have been working hard for years without ever being mentioned in year-end lists or “10 favourite bands” online posts, even though they have never released bad work. The Swedish band Suicidal Winds is one of those bands that is often overlooked, despite being around since 1994, having 6 full-lengths, several EPs, splits, and compilations, and having label logos like Pulverised Records, No Colours Records, and Agonia Records slabbed on the albums. Although the band wasn’t quite happy with the Agonia deal, because of the label didn’t match the expectations within the agreement. Yet Mathias Johansson and Peter Haglund keep pushing forward, instead of going online to whine about a lack of recognition. Still Suicidal Winds almost stopped after the tragic death of bassist Fredrik Andersson in 2023. After a brief hiatus, Mathias and Peter decided there was unfinished business to attend to, and Suicidal Winds has returned with new energy.
So, is this a new Suicidal Winds album? For us as listeners, yes. For the band itself, no. The follow-up to ‘Chthonian Sun’, (2014) was recorded in 2016 but stayed on the shelf for all those years. Because it was recorded in 2016, it features the final recordings of Andersson, turning ‘In the Fire 666’, into a tribute. This is reflected in the booklet and the fire themes in the artwork and title, which reference ‘Crush Us with Fire’, the first recording with Andersson on the line-up sheet. Because of this, the album has become a final posthumous farewell to their fallen comrade.
And whether a record from 2016 can still be relevant, I can say a definite “yes” to that. Not that Suicidal Winds has suddenly changed their sound, but I appreciate a band that ignores chasing trends and “flavour of the month” hypes on social media. Black/Thrash old school to the bone, simply because this is what the makers believe in and what they love to hear themselves. Suicidal Winds sounds like Suicidal Winds, a slightly lighter version of Nifelheim, with influences from Bathory, the German Poison, Sarcófago, Necrodeath, and even some NWOBHM ideas. Catchy riffs and proper songs; nothing fancy, just a good way to spend your time listening.
Fuck the hypes, keep supporting bands like Suicidal Winds.
