21 Spins: Red Vinter – Lumbering Menace

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Review by Æræder

After listening to these over 21 times, here are my takeaways:

Sound/Mix

Check out the review of their EP, Into the Deep (03/13/2025); many of my notes from that album apply here. In their short time of existence as a band, Red Vinter has been digging deep into the songwriting and recording process. Their demo, We Built Our Own Death Machine, was only released in late December of 2023.

The attention to detail in the writing and musicality is again represented very well through the recording and mix. If you have been following this band, you may recognize some tunes from the demo (“Insurgent”, “K.I.A.”, “Blood in the Frost”). They have been completely tweaked and re-recorded. Even though the demo versions were solid, the new ones are better, and aren’t merely recycled fillers. The band has been working closely with 14:59 Studios, and it is evident they are all on the same page as far as what a Red Vinter album should sound like. 

One mini highlight is the incorporation of ambient, spacey sounds (noises, effects, samples, etc.) in very subtle ways that fits within and between each composition. One of my gripes about the EP was too much wasted ambient space on a 3-track album. On Lumbering Menace, the ambient aspects fill in the gaps and serve to facilitate the album’s flow and overall solidarity as a cohesive piece. This really comes together with repeated listens.

Performance

7 tracks each clocking in around the 5-7 minute range. This album carries just about the perfect amount of content to get into, spend time in, and finish up leaving satisfied, but looking for another session soon. Like I’ve written previously, you read things like Death Doom, Stoner Doom, and Space Metal, and sort of assume a mushy sound. This is definitely NOT the case with this group. Every note and every riff comes across in crisp fashion, accentuating the dark, heavy, desperate feel of the album.

Multiple listens through this album only reveal more and more complexity and precision. The first track, “Lumbering Menace”, sets up the tank-like grinding flow of the album, and it only gets heavier and more brutal from there. Seriously, plenty of diversity. And if you can manage the pace, plenty going on to keep your attention and get your head slowly banging. Solid swingy, groovy beats show up consistently from time to time, and keep the organic feel present (even though ultimately all that lives will mostly be gone and burned up by the end of the album).

Highlights

In the review of Into the Deep, I mentioned the drum beats and the riffs/chords/tone as highlights. This holds true again, and really is core to Red Vinter’s musical branding. If you are looking for songs that hit this most directly, check out track 5 (K.I.A.), track 3 (Still Beating), and track 4 (Lungblood). What stood out to me more on this album was the heavy, gritty clarity of the bass. There aren’t many metal albums I encounter where the bass consistently drives the songs. This is one of them.

Again, excellent work put into making each instrument stand out, yet stay together. The finale (Escape Velocity) offers some relatively progressive stuff as far as this style of music and this band goes. Differing time signatures, changes in tempo, rhythm, volume and dynamics, haunting lead licks, and even a bit of extremely doomy operatic vocal flourishes are tastefully infused. This tune closes out the album with a forced departure from life as we know it and a launch into the void. It sets up some excellent ground for musical and lyrical concepts to delve into on their next album! 

Shade

The pace is not for everyone. It is so controlled, patient, and strategically implemented to really build a sense of tension, aggravation, and dread. There are times I found myself getting frustrated because I just needed it faster. However, I’ll spend hours listening to fast paced blast beats and end up whining for a breakdown or slam to ease it up and bring the heavy. I got excited listening to Escape Velocity for the first time, thinking maybe some thrashy stuff was coming. Nope. BUT, this band keeps true to their vision. If you are into the lumbering menace style of metal, you won’t be disappointed. If you aren’t, you could get burned out quick. Give it a chance, at the least as a pallet cleanser.

Summary

Red Vinter has been building momentum as a heavy, creative force that will contribute uniquely to the local scene. In a short time they have developed a recipe for a signature sound that can stand out among the masses. At the same time, this debut full-length album hints at additional creative approaches to expand their doomy, deathly, sludgy, spacey sound. They can also pull off a heavy live performance, so go check them out at one of their upcoming gigs!

07/26/2025 @ Club Underground – https://fb.me/e/5CCkEeyCh 

09/13/2025 @ Kato Ballroom – https://www.facebook.com/share/15vvJyGoJb/ 

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