Winterfylleth announce 20th anniversary edition of Rising of the Winter Full Moon

“Emerging from a disparate British scene where insularity or eccentricity were often the hallmarks, Winterfylleth felt like a galvanising force. Plugged into the feral motherlode of black metal’s second wave, they became ever more steeped in a romanticism that fully belonged to Northwest England’s landscapes, and the resonances still simmering after a millennium of bloody history. Winterfylleth were something new, an intrinsically British–sounding band, but also an exemplary lightning rod for black metal as an essence.” - Jonathan Selzer, Metal Hammer 

“Winterfylleth: The name itself is a perfect embodiment of black metal celebrating the mysticism around the winter moon and drawing from historical themes, Albion being rich in both history and tale, myth and legend. Their music is as majestic as the stories that are told through song, a celebration of times gone by .. you can disappear into the intoxicating atmosphere they create.” - Paul Ryan (Cradle of Filth)

“Long at the forefront of UK black metal Winterfylleth have quite rightly become one of the most revered extreme metal bands from these isles.” - Dayal Patterson, Cult Never Dies 

Black metal pioneers Winterfylleth have announced a special 20th anniversary edition of Rising of the Winter Full Moon, the demo that marked the beginning of the band's journey in 2007. Released in partnership with Resonance, the anniversary edition brings together the original demo recordings and two previously unreleased instrumental tracks from the same session, making them available on any format for the first time. The release also features updated artwork, replacing the original illustration with an archival photograph of the same view of Alderley Edge that inspired the original cover. Resonance will release the limited-edition vinyl on 27th February 2027.

Pre-order at the band store: 
https://winterfylleth.bandcamp.com/album/rising-of-the-winter-full-moon-20th-anniversary-edition

Pre-order at Resonance: 
https://shop.resonancelogistics.com/products/winterfylleth-rising-of-the-winter-full-moon-2007-demo

The anniversary announcement arrives during the week of the Winter Full Moon in 2026, marking a fitting moment to revisit the recordings that first introduced Winterfylleth's distinctive blend of atmospheric black metal, evocative landscapes and reflections on England's historical and cultural past. The release also reunites the band with the team who first signed Winterfylleth, to celebrate two decades of music and the origins of a project that has since become one of the UK's most respected black metal acts.

The demo’s five-track recording session offers a fascinating snapshot of Winterfylleth in their formative years, capturing the early ideas and musical ambitions that would shape their subsequent work. These foundations came to full fruition on their 2008 debut album, The Ghost Of Heritage, which established the band’s approach to atmospheric black metal, weaving together English history, folklore and a profound connection to the natural landscape. Subsequent releases have seen them refine and expand that vision, earning international recognition while remaining true to the themes and sense of identity at the heart of their music.

Looking back on the original recordings, the band explain:

"When we recorded the Rising Of The Winter Full Moon demo in 2006/07, I don't think we could ever have imagined what the band would grow to become, nor what we would have to go through to reach its 20th anniversary.

"At the time of its recording, we actually captured five tracks during the session, rather than the three tracks that are more commonly recognised as the main release. Alongside 'Mam Tor' (The Shivering Mountain), 'The Ghost Of Heritage' and 'Casting The Runes', we also recorded an early version of 'Forging The Iron Of England', called 'Wayland's Smithy' at the time, as well as an early version of the track 'Defending The Realm'.

"Although the recordings on this demo are raw, cavernous and developmental, our fans have often asked us to make them available again. We did so for the 10th anniversary, when we released the demo on vinyl for the first time through our friends at Ulthar Records (R.I.P.).

"Now, as we arrive at the 20th anniversary, we are including the two previously unreleased, instrumental demo tracks from the original session for the first time on any format. This makes the edition you hold in your hands the most complete version of our early material we have ever put together.

"The songs have an honest charm to them and, on reflection, it's great to hear the genesis of where the band came from, all those years ago. We hope that our fans and followers will also enjoy hearing these early songs again, twenty years on.

"Here's to twenty more years, and whatever comes next!"

Presented as a limited-edition gatefold LP pressed on 140g gold nugget swirl vinyl and complete with an obi strip, the anniversary release brings together the three recognised demo tracks and the two previously unheard instrumental recordings from the original session. The first 50 copies will also include a signed item, making this a particularly special release for longtime followers and collectors.

Two decades on from those first recordings, Rising Of The Winter Full Moon offers a rare opportunity to revisit Winterfylleth at the very beginning, raw, unrefined and already laying the groundwork for the sound and vision that would carry them forward. More than a retrospective, this expanded edition preserves a formative moment in the band's history, bringing previously inaccessible material to light and celebrating twenty years of music, evolution and endurance.

About Winterfylleth 
Formed in Manchester in 2006, Winterfylleth have spent two decades establishing themselves as one of the UK's leading atmospheric black metal bands, combining ferocious, meticulously crafted music with a deep connection to English history, folklore, landscape and cultural heritage. Named after the Old English term for the winter full moon, the band made their first mark with the Rising Of The Winter Full Moon demo in 2007, before releasing their acclaimed debut album, The Ghost Of Heritage, in 2008. They followed it with a formidable run of records, including The Mercian Sphere (2010), The Threnody Of Triumph (2012), The Divination Of Antiquity (2014), The Dark Hereafter (2016), The Hallowing Of Heirdom (2018) and The Reckoning Dawn (2020), which reached the UK Top 100 Albums Chart. Their eighth album, The Imperious Horizon (2024), continued their exploration of atmospheric intensity and historical themes, while their ninth, The Unyielding Season, released via Napalm Records in March 2026, brought a new chapter for the band and rose to number 21 in the UK charts. Along the way, Winterfylleth have performed at major international festivals including Wacken Open Air, Hellfest, Roadburn, Graspop Metal Meeting and Bloodstock Open Air, and toured alongside influential acts such as Enslaved, Behemoth and Primordial. In 2015, they were named Best Underground Band at the Metal Hammer Golden Gods Awards. Two decades on, Winterfylleth remain a distinctive force in British extreme metal, balancing the grandeur and brutality of black metal with a powerful sense of place, history and identity.

Find out more:
Facebook || Instagram || Bandcamp || Resonance 

Photo Credit: Aaron Scott

 Rising of the Winter Full Moon tracklist

Side A

Mam Tor (The Shivering Mountain)
Casting The Runes
The Ghost of Heritage

Side B

Wayland’s Smithy (Instrumental)
Defending The Realm (Instrumental)

Rising of the Winter Full Moon will be available in the following formats:

Ltd Edition Gatefold LP, on 140g Gold Nugget Swirl Vinyl, w/ Obi Strip
The first 50 Copies come with a signed item