Album Review: Wintersun

It's been a long 12 years since the release of Time I however the Finnish metal titans Wintersun have finally released the next chapter of this project; Time II will be released via Nuclear Blast Records on August 30th. The record includes six epic tracks all with individual stories yet the subjects are all linked and this red line gives it a conceptual feeling.

Mastermind Jari Mäenpää says about the Time project:

"It has been quite a journey. I was 15 when I started making a lot of different songs and it kind of went on and on, and of course I joined Ensiferum, but besides that, I always kept doing my own music. When I left Ensiferum, I made the first debut Wintersun album and that was mainly a kind of exploring. Stars, the universe and winter atmosphere happen to be the main themes. Music-wise there are no boundaries. After that album, I wanted to start exploring more different styles with the ‘Time’ album and that expanded with more melodies from different countries, with lyrics about life and human relationships, focusing on life and death. That has always been a big theme of Wintersun: what is this thing called ‘life’ and this experience that we are all having? That fascination has been growing ever since.’

Time II opens with a powerfully dramatic and emotive instrumental in 'Fields Of Snow;' this track is worthy of an Oscar nomination for Best Film Score of 2024. Complete with a swelling, atmospheric build-up of orchestration, rolling drums, violins, traditional Eastern instruments and wind pipes, closing with a haunting choir. This sails smoothly into 'The Way Of The Fire' with fire representing the energy of stars as a source of life, which is also connected to time. A soft, almost medieval sounding acoustic guitar begins before it launches into serious melodic riffage, thunderous blast-beats and ethereal vocalisations. A grand opus which gallops forward with strength and might until Jari Mäenpää's rasping vocals inject a supernatural power, exploding from the ether. Introducing impassioned cleans amongst the rasping gutterals and vocalisations to create a dynamic layer of vocal skills whilst the riffs and drums power on relentlessly. The Eastern-influenced guitar solos are intricate, detailed and dizzying, dancing and soaring through the air.

'One With The Shadows' slows the pace with a swaying motion, until it launches in to an emotive guitar solo which flies flawlessly, introducing thunderous drums and haunting vocalisations. The rapsing vocals rip through the atmosphere with emotionally fevered power, giving way to the opulent, echoing cleans. The vocal harmonies and contrasting styles really compliment the expert instrumentation throughout. 'Ominous Clouds' is an instrumental interlude which capitalizes on otherworldly, ethereal atmosphere as a single guitar solo echoes across the valley, summoning the rain on a foundation of gentle, haunting riffs.

As the name suggests, 'Storm' opens with a rolling thunderstorm and heavy rainfall with melancholic guitars and piano. An absolute monster of a track at over 12 minutes long, the blastbeats take over with dramatic orchestration and more monastic choirs. Frantic, desperate vocals alternate between rasping brutality and mournful howls and moans supported by classical piano elements more precisely from Vivaldi’s ‘Four Seasons.' There is an air of darkness, urgency and chaos about this track as it charges forward at speed. However it fades out with the same thunderstorm as it began to give way to atmospheric traditional Eastern instruments and a flowing river. It is here that the record's conclusion 'Silver Leaves' begins with a crashing gong in the distance and beautiful Eastern instrumentation. The song tells the story of finding a calm place and state of mind after the storm, being satisfied with your life and enjoying nature around you, as reflected by the cherry tree garden on the cover. The crushing guitars explode at around the 3 minute mark (keeping in mind that this track is 13 minutes long) however the Eastern influences and traditional instruments continue throughout accompanied by Mäenpää's desperate, emotive clean vocals. The track and, therefore, the record closes with a soft tinkling of windchimes as the water gently breaks on the shore and slowly ebbs away.

An epic journey from light to darkness and back to light, exploring the universe and energy, contrasting dark stormy landscapes to calm and beautiful cherry blossom tree gardens with misty, snowy mountains that will leave you breathless. Powerful yet graceful instrumentation a commanding presence and out of this world energy. Wintersun and Time II will leave you feeling things you've never felt before.

Rating: 10/10
Release Date: August 30th 2024
Released By: Nuclear Blast Records
FFO: Ensiferum, Children Of Bodom, Kalmah, Atavistia