Windswept reveal “Investigation”, the lead single & second chapter in the tracklist of “The Devil’s Vertep”: their new studio album inspired by The Black Book of Kremenets Castle (1747–1777). Rooted in historical testimonies from the witch trials of 1753–1754 in Western Ukraine, the song transforms archival records of confession and coercion into unflinching black-metal expression.
“Investigation” marks the turning point of “The Devil’s Vertep”, where accusation hardens into judgment. Drawing from the first interrogation of Yevka Stanorykha, the track mirrors the tension between truth and torment. Jagged guitars, volatile tempo shifts, and Roman Sayenko’s rasped vocal delivery recreate the psychological pressure of a 1754 courtroom. Each cycle of rhythm and voice becomes a reenactment of interrogation itself: repetition, denial, and the slow dissolution of will.
Listen to “Investigation” below.
Available Formats:
• Digital Download
• CD Digipak
• 12” Vinyl Gatefold — Black
• 12” Coloured Vinyl Gatefold — Transparent Red
“The Devil’s Vertep” will be released on on December 12th, 2025, via Season of Mist.
Pre-order & pre-save “The Devil’s Vertep” here.
Tracklist:
1. Infanticide (6:10)
2. Investigation (7:18)
3. Torture & Confession (8:38)
4. The Potion (6:58)
5. Nest of the Witches (4:57)
6. Verdicts (7:54)
Production Credits:
Recorded at Viter Music. Produced & engineered by R. & V. Mixed & Mastered by V. at Viter Music.
Windswept return with “The Devil’s Vertep”, a new full-length rooted in historical documentation and stark musical expression. Inspired by The Black Book of Kremenets Castle 1747–1777, the record traces the witch trials of 1753–1754 in Western Ukraine, unfolding as a conceptual narrative across six compositions. Each track immerses listeners in a chilling atmosphere of accusation, confession, and execution, rendered through raw black metal shaped by both immediacy and conviction.
The project was founded in 2016 by Roman Sayenko, best known as the driving force behind Drudkh, alongside two close collaborators. Conceived as a space for spontaneity and instinctive creation, Windswept sought to capture black metal in its most unfiltered form. Sessions were approached with minimal preparation, often recorded in only a matter of days, ensuring the vitality of live performance informed every moment. While echoes of Sayenko’s other work could be felt, Windswept’s essence lay in improvisation and a raw fidelity to the Ukrainian black metal tradition.
Their debut, “The Great Cold Steppe” (2017), was stark and unforgiving, reflecting the desolate landscape of its title. The record quickly distinguished itself for its icy atmospheres and direct execution, a distillation of black metal at its harshest. This was followed in 2018 by the “Visionaire” EP on Ván Records, which deepened their exploration of fleeting, improvisatory intensity. A year later, “The Onlooker” (2019, Season of Mist: Underground Activists) reaffirmed the band’s commitment to spontaneity. It offered a fierce, stripped-down sound that echoed early traditions while maintaining Windswept’s hallmark rawness.
With “The Devil’s Vertep”, Windswept turn toward historical narrative. Drawing on trial records preserved in the Black Book of Kremenets Castle, the album reconstructs testimonies of women accused of witchcraft, their brutal interrogations, and the violent judgments passed upon them. Each piece is tied to a specific chapter: “Infanticide” opens with the grim discovery of a newborn’s corpse, “Investigation” and “Torture & Confession” trace the harrowing interrogations, while “The Potion”, “Nest of the Witches”, and “Verdicts” reveal the network of accusations and the sentences delivered.
While “The Devil’s Vertep” marks Windswept’s first venture into Ukrainian demonology and witchcraft, these themes trace back much earlier in Roman Sayenko’s creative path. In the autumn of 1996, Sayenko began developing an unfinished project titled Kozlonogyi (Goat-Footed): a concept rooted in the same folkloric and mythological territory that would later resurface within The Devil’s Vertep. Although Kozlonogyi never moved beyond a few rehearsals, its sketches and early riffs became the foundation for Windswept’s latest work. By reviving and re-working these ideas nearly three decades later, Sayenko bridges eras of black metal evolution, imbuing “The Devil’s Vertep” with a distinctly 1990s sensibility and reverence for the early traditions that shaped his artistic identity.
Recorded, mixed, and mastered at Viter Music with production handled internally, “The Devil’s Vertep” balances immediacy with conceptual cohesion. Its stark presentation reflects the gravity of the source material, while the cover art by Obsidian Bone situates the work in a visual landscape as unsettling as the music itself. By channeling the voices of the past, Windswept expand their raw black metal vision into a work of historical remembrance, turning archival fragments into a haunting artistic statement.
Line-up:
R. – Vocals & Guitars
T. – Bass
V. – Drums
Weblinks:
www.facebook.com/windsweptukraine
windswept.bandcamp.com
