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The second full-length
record of Winds is a candidate for
one of the best records of the year
in progressive metal. Speaking of
progressive metal, we have to separate
the scene to a team of bands that
reproduces the same formulas that
are used by the progressive metal
leading forces, like Dream Theater
or Fates Warning, and to another team
of bands that try to open new paths
of expression and to extend the horizons
of this demanding music kind.
Winds is from Norway
and they are stamped by the description
of a super group. In their classes
there are musicians like Jan Axel
Van Bloomberg from Mayhem and Arcturus,
Carl August Tiderman from the legendary
Tritonus and Lars Eric Si from various
other bands, like Khold. However the
mastermind of the band is Andy Winter,
a classical music influenced musician,
who is merging his love about classical
and heavy metal music.
The result of this
merging and the cooperation of these
four musicians is a colossal progressive
metal monument of expression and feelings.
The most noteworthy element of this
record is the outburst of their technical
skills. "Reflections of the I",
the previous full-length record, was
based more on the expression of the
dark feelings of the band's lyrics.
"The Imaginary…" is
more based on the expression of the
band's technical skills and somehow
they are approaching Psychotic Waltz'
and Soul Cage's sound. This is sheer
progressive, that shares elements,
on the metal field of the band, with
doom and atmospheric metal.
The other field of
the band is their classical orchestrations,
which are totally different than other
orchestrations that have been used
by any heavy metal band. Their classical
orchestrations are sharpening the
dark colors of their music. Songs
like "The theory of relativity",
"The fireworks of genesis"
and "Beyond fate" are progressive
metal orgies, but without the contribution
of the classical music parts they
would sound colder and soulless. But
these songs are very passionate, mainly
because by the wonderful voice of
Lars Eric Si, who is capable of transforming
their music into divine tunes of tender
melancholy. The philosophical background
of the band on the endless wandering
of man in time and space, in a quest
for beauty and meaning is the final
chapter in this book of perfection.
The binding of this book is another
extraordinary creation of Travis Smith.
Nothing more to add… than perfection
in an absolute form.
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