Winds - Prominence And Demise review
| Band: | Winds |
| Album: | Prominence And Demise |
| Style: | Avantgarde metal, Progressive metal, Symphonic metal |
| Release date: | September 04, 2007 |
| A review by: | Dream Taster |
01. Universal Creation Array
02. Distorted Dimensions
03. The Grand Design
04. When The Dream Of Paradise Died
05. Fall And Rise
06. The Darkest Path
07. Convictions And Contradictions
08. Where The Cold Winds Blow
09. The Last Line
The Melodic Progressive band known as Winds has already left its thumb prints all over the Metal world with their two previous opuses, especially 2004's The Imaginary Direction of Time. Now, the Norwegian masters are aiming even higher with their latest effort Prominence and Demise.
The band retained the winning combo with mastermind Andy Winter [keyboards, piano], Carl August Tidemann [guitars], Lars Eric Si [vocals, bass] and Jan Axel "Hellhammer" Von Blomberg [drums]. Enhancing this dream-team, Winds had some help from some famous guest singers on this album, among who Dan Swanö [Edge of Sanity, Nightingale], Lars Are "Lazare" Nedland [Solefald, Borknagar, Age of Silence] and Agnete Kirkevaag [Madder Mortem]. Last but not least, musicians from the Oslo Philharmonic Orchestra joined their instruments to the mix.
Overall, this record has a more aggressive sound than any of its predecessors while keeping this lustrous aura of perfection. Winds expanded the boundaries of Metal and defined what avant-garde Metal should sound like. Each song is bringing something new to the atmosphere on an eclectic melange of progressive masterpieces. Tidemann's guitar sound has its customary crystal clear quality, even in the harsher riffs. Meanwhile Hellhammer is just enjoying himself breaking rhythm at every possible corner. Andy Winter is the architect of the magic touch on each track while Lars Eric Si cleanly pours his heart in every vocal line, turning "Prominence and Demise" into a highly emotional set of songs.
Renowned designer Travis Smith was once against put to the test and delivered another breathtaking artwork. Needless to say the production is spectacular as well. The guests are each bringing something personal to the release. Trust me, if you like progressive music in general, this album has it all.
Prominence and Demise was recorded over a period of three years, and the result is a solid and unique album. More progressive than ever, more powerful than before, this record is the real deal and it should find its place in your musical universe. If you're inclined towards melodic Metal, progressive, or simply classical music influenced albums, this Winds' album is just what you need. This should keep you salivating until September 4th.
Highlights: 'The Last Line', 'Distorted Dimensions', 'The Darkest Path'
Rating breakdown
| Performance: | 9 |
| Songwriting: | 10 |
| Originality: | 9 |
| Production: | 9 |
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Written on 22.07.2007 by
Bringing you reviews of quality music and interesting questions such as: "A picture is worth a thousand words. How many words is a song worth?" I have only got so much patience and skills, you do the math. |
Comments
Comments: 9
Visited by: 142 users
| Spyroid Rosetta Stoned Posts: 1023  |
If the MS staff make there an award for greatest cover art in the awards -07, I'll sure be voting for this one.
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| AnarChrist Posts: 253 |
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| Galar Wicked Mung Posts: 598  |
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| nb Posts: 248  |
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| pecattus Account deleted |
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| Eternal Flames Posts: 1570  |
Nice review. I agree with what you've said about the aggression in the album. It does seem as though they have taken a slightly edgier approach on this album, but it still sounds great. This will probably be one of my favourite releases of 2007.
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| Music4TheSpirit MetalForTheSpiri Elite Posts: 4934  |
As their previous album, Prominence & Demise is a very well compressed album coceived as a whole, it's clear that it's their heavier album so far. It's almost obvious to mention the capacity and the great use of the instruments for everyone on the band, this time having some cool guests on vocals. Their sophistication (without being glamorous, obviously  ) is heavenly and basically one of their most clear characteristics of their music.But i have to disagree in a couple of things, I don't see it that each song are so diferent from each other but, as i say before, it's more like a compact work and has to be looked as whole and I wouldn't say that this is how Avant-Garde Metal should sound like since it's a bit too conservative for that.
---- In this days we seem to be limited by scientific knowledge "I'm a good man... while that don't interfere with my interest" Anonymous , taken from the low moderm and post-moderm consciences
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| Visioneerie Urban Monster Posts: 810  |
I don't know if I should get this, i like some progressive metal but not so much bands with the ultra dramatic vocals. For instance i like Dream Theater's intrumentation for the most part, they can be genius, but when the singer starts to whine his heart out i can't take it. The only track i've heard so far from this piece is Convictions & Contradictions, the music is great and i considered the vox to be not that bad in the 'overdramatic' term. So if someone understands my point of view, should i try this out ?
---- Any man can stand adversity, but to test his character give him power - A. Lincoln
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| Uirapuru Liver Failure Posts: 2955  |
Best album of this band  ... the vocals sound a little different, better... and the music more agressive indeed. It has good use of the classic instruments, but always with an awesome riff to accompain.And the best part: not as many filler as the previous.
----  ---- member of the true crusade against old school heavy metal, early 80s thrash, NWOBHM, traditional doom, first and second wave black metal, old school death metal, US power metal, 70s prog rock and atmospheric doomsludgestoner. o/
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