Independent Release
Review by Tony Cannella
As I write this, we are in the midst of a BRUTAL winter storm, oh the irony. The band is called Winter Storm and they hail from the UK. They were founded in 2008, and have just issued their debut album, “Serenity in Darkness”. A 10-song, 50-minute slab of female fronted, melodic Gothic Metal, with some symphonic metal influences added to the mix as well. Lead vocalist Hannah Fieldhouse, does not only add her smooth vocal style to the proceedings, but she also chips in with Rhythm and Lead Guitars, showing what a talented lady she is. “Serenity in Darkness” begins with the bombastic “Firedancer”. From here on in, “Serenity in Darkness” showcases the bands dark metal leanings, with some seriously heavy riffs and good bits of melody. After a brief intro, “The Embrace” kicks in, with its dense guitar riff and frenetic pace, this immediately became a favorite. The band has received some positive reviews for their live shows and I must say that “Serenity in Darkness” has a raw, live sounding vibe to it. “Sinner’s Saint” begins with a peaceful guitar intro before settling into a nice mid-tempo groove. Some more highlights: “Internal Storm”, “Inner Demon” and the closing trio of “Dark Wings”, “Drowned in Tears” and “Retribution”. I would be remiss if I didn’t mention the masked man behind the keyboards. Jason Oakley wears a luchador (in Pro Wrestling terms) style mask, he is also a professional wrestler and he brings that aspect to the band with him. Aside, from that bit of visualization, Winter Storm is a band that lets the music do the talking and on “Serenity in Darkness”, it is all about the music.
Rating – 73/100
Tracklist
- Firedancer
- The Embrace
- Sinner’s Saint
- Internal Storm
- Inner Demon
- Prison Cell
- Spirit
- Dark Wings
- Drowned in Tears
- Retribution
Line Up
- Hannah Fieldhouse – Lead Vocals, Rhythm and Lead Guitar
- Wayne Taylor – Rhythm Guitar
- Jason Oakley – Keyboards and Synths
- Daniel Yates – Bass
Links
MySpace * ReverbNation * Facebook * Twitter * Site