When Winters Thrice came out I can't say I was as excited. The band had not tapped into the potential that this lineup brought, and I was afraid that it was going to be another lackluster effort. I was wrong.
Winters Thrice not only taps into the potential shown by having two excellent vocalists, it creates a musical landscape that pays tribute to the black and viking metal roots of the band while still embracing the progressive leanings of the later albums. The song structures are dynamic, full of contrasting and dueling melodies in both the guitars, vocals, and keyboards. The way that this album intertwines with all the individual elements is truly impressive.
The coup de gras that puts this album over the top though is the return of Garm. On the title track the Ulver vocalist comes back to the band to lay down a few vocal lines. While it's not much his vocals being included is a huge dose of nostalgia - especially since The Olden Domain is my favorite release from the band.
I feel like I'm being spoiled on this release, not only does it have three top tier vocalists, it brings back the incredible riffing structure from Quintessence and Empiricism. The guitars interplay with each other and the keyboards to weave a musical tapestry that paints a picture of beautiful landscapes and harsh winters.
It does this all without sounding like raw black metal as one may expect. The production is immaculate, and it's a requirement for how intricate the music is. That's not to say that there are no black metal moments, there are plenty... but this is much more than simple black metal.
Borknagar continue to be an evolving band, and Winters Thrice is the latest entry into why I continue to check out every release from the band. Even if they are not all great, they are all interesting.
No comments:
Post a Comment