Independent Release
Review by Tony Cannella
There are more and more top quality metal bands coming from the UK these days. One of the latest of which is the symphonic/progressive metal band Winter’s Eve. They have just issued their independent debut, “Shards”. Wasting little time, the opening track “Winter’s Eve” gets us right into it. This song is a great representation of what Winter’s Eve is all about, with some seriously orchestral elements, combined with Middle-Eastern influences and the clear vocals of Lena. The next track, “As I Fall” is more of a mid-tempo song, which starts out as a ballad before picking up the pace. This track features some thoughtful vocals, which are present throughout the course of the CD, and once again Lena’s vocals are a true highlight for me, she is also joined by the extreme vocals of guitarist Axeman Jim briefly in this song. The moody ballad “Midnight” is next, and while the musical pace slows a bit, the quality remains high. The orchestral title track is next and definitely a favorite, this track once again utilizes some male extreme vocals. The beautiful ballad “Image” is next and features top performances all around. Other highlights include: “Angel”, “Dust to Dust” and the 9-minute album closer “Spellbound”. “Shards” features 10-tracks and a playing time of almost an hours’ worth of some strong and focused Symphonic metal. Winter’s Eve should appeal to fans of Within Temptation, Nightwish and Therion. I have a feeling that Winter’s Eve has a chance at becoming a major force in the symphonic metal genre.
Rating – 85/100
Tracklist
- Winter’s Eve
- As I Fall
- Midnight
- Shards
- Image
- Angel
- Fade
- Shadow
- Dust to Dust
- Spellbound
Line Up
- Lena – Vocals
- Pranay – Guitar
- Axeman Jim – Guitar, Vocals
- Storm – Bass
- Klepsy – Drums
Links