WINTERSUN play the Opera House on December 13. See listing. Rating: NNNN
Since May 2006, Wintersun’s sophomore effort has been held up by everything from computer and recording equipment failures to stress-induced writer’s block. But the biggest reason for the delay is also the album’s greatest strength: its complexity. Layers of synth, orchestration and choral vocals create dense textures with architectural depth.
For all of Time I’s intricate layers, the Helsinki extreme metal band never abandons aggression. Sons Of Winter And Stars begins with Jari Mäenpää’s snarling vocals, which join a stirring riff structure and delicious double-kick drumming. He employs powerful clean singing as well as harsh growls, his voice commanding and otherworldly. The sumptuous tones that characterize Land Of Snow And Sorrow are as finely crafted as the impish sparkle of Darkness And Frost.
Time I does, however, leave us a little bereft due to its incomplete narrative. Time II, out in 2013, will likely fix this, though perhaps the sense of longing and delay is intentional, considering the record’s history.
Top track: Sons Of Winter And Stars
