WINTERSUN - The Forest Seasons

July 28, 2017, 6 years ago

(Nuclear Blast)

Nick Balazs

Rating: 8.0

review heavy metal wintersun

WINTERSUN - The Forest Seasons

To review an album like Wintersun’s The Forest Seasons; it is important to keep the focus on the music. Everybody already has their opinion over the whole crowdfunding campaign, not releasing Time II, and Jari’s behavior, but at the end of the day – does The Forest Seasons make you want to bang your head and worthy of the hype? In a word: yes.

With only four songs, the margin for error is narrowed, and this is probably the most straight-forward and least technical Wintersun album. The four seasons are represented in the four songs and for the most part are beautifully done. You really get the feeling of becoming alive and receiving a jolt of energy to “Awaken From The Dark Slumber (Spring)”. It’s a powerful song recalling the triumphant emotions of “Sons Of Winter And Stars” from Time I and the way the keys accent the guitars is wonderfully done. 

Each track stands (or falls) on its own merits. The atmosphere of “Loneliness (Winter)” comes in stark contrast to Spring and is a track that mostly resembles the snowy landscape of Time I. Jari showcases a very dramatic vocal delivery, but the slumbering track is also the weakest as it plods along and should have been shortened up. The most surprising track is “Eternal Darkness (Autumn)”. It’s a full-on 14-minute black metal assault with down-tuned guitars and Jari utilizing low, demonizing growls spewing emphatic, shivering lyrics. Just a crazy, unexpected, but welcome direction from the band. On the other side of the spectrum is “The Forest That Weeps (Summer)” and besides from the off-kilter choir in the back part, this is an upbeat tune with a bobbing galloping section in the middle and has one of Jari’s best vocal works. 

Overall, if you like Wintersun, you will like this album and it is a step-up from Time I. Problem is that it took five years to get to this release and how long until we get the next album/Time II?



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