Wintersun are an extreme metal band from Finland and this is their fourth album.
Essentially a solo act backed up by some talented musicians, Wintersun’s latest record has been eagerly awaited for some time by many people in the metal world. It’s been seven long years since 2017’s The Forest Seasons, so let’s dig in and see what we have here on Time II.
Time II is epic in scope and scale. It’s an album of melodic black/death metal set to an orchestral backdrop, delivering music that’s involved and ambitious. The melodies and keyboards typically have folk and/or classical influences that can be felt strongly, and the record has an abundance of musical flourishes and sumptuous solos. All of the instruments on the album are well-played and arranged – if a little busy in places with so much happening – but I have to say that the vocals – screamed and sung – are really a highlight throughout.
Time II opens with Fields of Snow, a 4-minute non-metal instrumental that boasts some striking sounds. It’s an interesting and engaging start, before the first song proper begins, The Way of the Fire. This track is a stirring hymn to majestic extreme metal. The blackened melodic assault is layered with keyboards, while clean singing soars high. There is a lot going on. It’s energetic and upbeat, but also has an aggressive edge.
After this we get One with the Shadows, which opens with a bombastic display of atmosphere, before unfolding as a mid-paced song that’s got the word heroic stamped on it hard. If anything, the cleans are even more epic than on the previous track, only here they have an earthy edge I really like.
Ominous Clouds is a short interlude track that mixes expressive keyboards with a relaxed progressive rock solo. It’s certainly pleasant and listenable, but like almost all interludes is essentially just filler. We then get to the final two songs, both of which are longer than 12-minutes each.
Storm is aptly named, building from delicate atmospherics to a full-strength ferocity that’s darkly rendered. It’s a neoclassical shredfest that doesn’t forget the need for structure and pacing, but is also the darkest song here. It’s imbued with an almost Gothic grandeur, (think Cradle of Filth), that’s offset by the other folk/classical influences, and gives Storm a sort of Wagnerian character of its own. It ends well, with the storm dying down, (and a great guitar solo, one of many across the album), to reveal a mood-rich outro that’s calm and serene.
Time II closes with Silver Leaves, the album’s longest song. It travels through different phases, developing with graceful patience, from evocative folk artistry to uplifting epic heaviness. The song builds layers of atmosphere and absorbing sounds. There’s a heavy/power metal feel that’s infectious, and once again the clean vocals are powerfully performed.
Time II is well-written and has good variety, showcasing the artist behind the band’s skills at composing intricate music. My only complaint is around some of the production choices – the sound of the drums isn’t quite up to the standard of the music itself, for example. Having said that, this certainly isn’t the end of the world.
Wintersun’s new record delivers an epic journey across snow-covered lands. For those that favour this sort of extravagant mix of melodic, folk, classical, and extreme metal sights and sounds, it’s a journey worth taking.
Wonderbox Metal 