Band:	Winters Bane
Album:	Redivivus
Style:	US power metal
Release date:	2006
A review by:	Jeff

01. Seal The Light
02. Spark To Flame
03. The World
04. Dead Faith
05. Catching The Sun
06. Remember To Forget
07. Burning Bridges
08. Waves Of Fury
09. Despise The Lie
10. Catching The Sun [demo] [European bonus]
11. Remember To Forget [demo] [European bonus]
12. Seal The Light [demo] [European bonus]
13. Furies [demo] [European bonus]

Maybe that some of you remember the name Winters Bane. Back in 1990, their amazing first album, "Heart Of A Killer" was the first release ever with Mr Tim "Ripper" Owens. A bit like Beyond Fear that released its album this year, Winters Band still play a mix of aggressive Heavy Power Metal with high pitched vocals and if some songs are not bad at all, I have to regret however some imperfections on this release.

Winters Bane didn't change its favorite recipe, "Redivivus" their new album, is always an album of Powerful Heavy Metal a la American sauce. With this new release don't expect a Power metal a la Sonata Arctica, at the opposite we're more into Iced Earth and all those excellent bands. "Seal The Light" or "Catching The Sun" are two really good images of the whole album, they're powerful with thrashy riffs and high-pitched vocals on the choruses. It sounds good no doubt but I cannot say that all the compositions of the CD are so catchy. I mean that in general it's ok but I didn't find any real hit on the album, and that's probably one of the big problems of "Redivivus". It's never bad but never outstanding too? it's just normal and a bit average in general?

The big bad point of the release is without any doubt the quality of the production and when you see who are the members of the band it's even a bit curious. The sound is not really good and a lot of time it's even a bit hard to hear the sound of the guitars during the solo. Also, I suppose that you saw the covers? it's simply ugly and even amateurish bands are able to find some better covers than this one? I really don't understand how they managed to work on the production of the album?

"Redivivus" is not a bad album but it will always suffer of the comparison with "Heart Of A Killer". Though on the other hand and to be honest, I have the feeling that the new line-up of the combo will be able to do something really great in the future. They're great musicians, they play an interesting and not boring form of Metal so with some better means of productions and with just a better inspiration, their next albums should be really attractive. I still recommend "Redivivus" to all the ones who like thrashy Power Heavy Metal, even if it's not the best album of the year, it will probably please the aficionados of this kind of music.