Explore the sacred domains

Origin: Russia
Location: Mikhaylovsk, Sverdlovsk Oblast
Formed: 2014
Status: Changed name (became Wintaar in 2017)
Genre: Atmospheric Black Metal
Themes: Instrumental (early), Winter (later)
Label: Independent

W was one of the earliest incarnations of WV’s vast creative output—a short‑lived but intensely productive atmospheric black metal project that served as the direct precursor to Wintaar, the project that would later define much of his legacy. Active from 2014 to 2017 under the name W, the project began with instrumental atmospheric black metal before shifting decisively toward winter‑themed raw ambience, a direction WV would explore obsessively for the rest of his life.

W’s music is unmistakably tied to the frozen landscapes of the Urals: cold tremolo riffs, hypnotic repetition, and a lo‑fi aesthetic that feels like it was carved out of frost. Even in its earliest instrumental form, the project carried WV’s signature traits—relentless productivity, solitary composition, and a fixation on winter as both a physical and emotional state.

A Blizzard of Releases (2016–2017)

The project’s discography is astonishingly dense for such a short period. In 2016 alone, W released multiple full‑lengths and EPs, each exploring a different facet of winter’s atmosphere:

• Winter Worship (2016) – A raw, reverent ode to winter’s spiritual vastness.
• To the Ashes of the Sky (EP, 2016) – Shorter, more melodic, but still steeped in cold melancholy.
• Wintergale (2016) – One of the project’s strongest early statements, blending aggression with drifting ambience.
• Frostland (2016) – A more expansive, atmospheric work, leaning into icy minimalism.

By 2017, W had fully embraced the winter‑obsessed aesthetic that would define Wintaar:

• Winterwomb (2017) – A bleak, immersive descent into frozen solitude.
• Till Eternity (2017) – Often considered the peak of the W era, balancing melody, atmosphere, and rawness.
• Dark Passages of Winter / Russian Emptiness (Split, 2017) – A collaboration that deepened the project’s emotional coldness.
• W / Oldmoon (Split, 2017) – A final transitional release before the name change.

Transformation into Wintaar

In 2017, WV officially shifted the project’s identity from W to Wintaar, retaining the winter‑focused aesthetic but expanding the scope, output, and emotional depth. Wintaar would go on to become one of the most prolific atmospheric black metal projects in Russia, with dozens of releases until WV’s passing in 2023.

WV: A Monument of the Russian Underground

WV (R.I.P. 2023) was one of the most prolific and restless creators in Russian black metal history, involved in dozens of projects across raw black metal, ambient, dungeon synth, and atmospheric styles. W was one of his earliest crystallizations of the winter‑obsessed sound he would refine for nearly a decade.

Member

WV – all instruments, vocals (2014–2017)
(R.I.P. 2023)

Discography

Winter Worship – Full‑length, 2016
To the Ashes of the Sky – EP, 2016
Wintergale – Full‑length, 2016
Frostland – Full‑length, 2016
Winterwomb – Full‑length, 2017
Dark Passages of Winter / Russian Emptiness – Split, 2017
Till Eternity – Full‑length, 2017
Winter Black Metal – Split, 2017
W / Oldmoon – Split, 2017