Winds - The Imaginary Direction of Time

Year of Release: 2004
Label: The End Records
Catalog Number: TE 043
Format: CD
Total Time: 00:00:00

Evaluation:

What is it?

As the progressive metal market becomes more crowded, and band after band arrives on the scene, the initial impact artwork and packaging provides becomes critical. Here is another band that sends mixed messages with its presentation?

The Imaginary Direction? is replete with computer-generated graphics, grainy non-descript band mug-shots, engendering a lack of cohesion and obfuscating the overall concept.

Analysis:

What it is:

The music is well written, complex but not histrionic; the instrumentalists are skilled (particularly guitarist Carl August Tidemann, an Yngwie-infatuated soloist, enamored with studied arpeggio-laden leads, who nevertheless manages to craft parts that suit the song and capably uses different tones- "Theory Of Relativity" particularly -throughout, transcending slavish devotion to develop his own identity), and the production is excellent. The use of a real string quartet, while arranged in a perfunctory manner, adds a sophisticated edge to the disc.

I applaud experimentation if it serves the song or propagates the concept at hand, but the use of harsh or rasped vocals here sound forced and arbitrary, and only serve to exacerbate the arcane effect of the navel-gazing lyrical stance.

The moodiness of the melodies and the impact of the string quartet on the arrangements manage to create an atmosphere of melancholy without becoming maudlin or trite ? repeated listens revealed the attention to thematic detail in the music and subtle elements in the arrangements? hallmarks of skilled songwriting... .

Rating: 8-/10 [3.75/5] (the minus is for the accented vocal delivery, the infantile lyrics and the lack of unifying cohesion in the overall concept)

Summary:

What does it all mean?

Tracklisting:
What Is Beauty / Sounds Like Desolation / Theory Of Relativity / Visions Of Perfection / The Fireworks Of Genesis / Under The Stars / A Moment For Reflection / Time Without End / The Final End / Beyond Fate / Silence In Despair / Infinity

Musicians:
Lars Eric Si - vocals, bass
Carl August Lidemann - guitars
Jan Axel von Blomberg - drums
Andy Winter - keys

Discography:
Of Entity And Mind (mcd) (2000)
Reflections Of The I (2002/2005)
The Imaginary Direction Of Time (2004)

Genre: Progressive-Power Metal

Origin NO

Added: July 25th 2005
Reviewer: Jan-Mikael Erakare
Score:
Artist website: www.winds.ws
Hits: 2465
Language: english