Some things are certain in life: taxes, death, and that Wintersun will take a long time between releases. Honestly, I wasn’t sure we would ever get Time II until I saw the promo. There’s always so much anticipation when it comes to this band, and given how its last album received mixed reviews, my expectations were so grounded that I was listening to Wintersun with the same attention and “objectivity” (an absurd term to use in a review) as I would for any other promo in my email inbox. Having said that, you came here to find out if Power Metal/MeloDeath can offer something fresh as a sub-genre, right?
Two concepts stick throughout the duration of Time II. First, the atmosphere—the album succeeds in transporting you back to feudal Japan, and although I’m usually skeptical about artists working “outside” their culture, Wintersun respects the culture enough to create imagery that genuinely fits those times. Second, this is the definition of an epic quest. The album features some mammoth tracks, but it’s more about the writing itself. Wintersun doesn’t shy away from spectacular moments, and despite my fear of getting bored, the album managed to keep me engaged even during its more predictable sections. It’s still Power/MeloDeath Metal, so be prepared to visit familiar places, except these aren’t traumatic like your childhood.
Ironically, despite all the powerful riffing that makes you feel like you’re crossing snowy mountains in horrible pain, Time II’s most interesting and almost touching moments come from the use of the album’s least Metal instruments, the Folk music here is gorgeous. In that sense, Time II is an improvement over The Forest Seasons. Yes, it’s a bit bloated, but it’s not self-indulgent or trying too hard to prove something. I can feel the dedication it took to shape this work. It’s probably the best writing Jari has brought us in years, even if my favorite thing at MER is mocking geeky albums (because true intellectual work is being ignored!). Yet, you might be wondering what there is to be worried about.
So, the production here is not horrible. It’s not overly loud or plagued with toilet acoustics. However, I would’ve liked something more unique, especially for the drums. I’m not the first reviewer to feel they could use a power-up in the mix, nor will I probably be the last. At least, there aren’t crazy amounts of cheese to cut through—just a lot of time (no pun intended) to sit around because the album has quite a few long tracks that, while majestic, do mess with the pacing. This isn’t “silly” Power Metal. You have to be willing to pay attention, and good luck with that in an era where goldfish are already beating some people at working-memory tasks (yes, it’s a myth that they’re bad at remembering things; they just told you that to hide how tortured they were in the fish tank).
Time II is a journey I wasn’t all that prepared to take, but one I was ultimately happy to go through. Not many bands will dare to take these risks, and that’s something I’ll respect. It’s not perfect, but it does invite you to listen carefully and several times over. I believe Wintersun has struggled previous glories, but this is the closest it’s come to an epic comeback in decades. So, if you’re fed up with the Dungeons and Dragons stuff, how about protecting your virginity with some feudal Japan lore? It’s just a suggestion, you know!
Label: Nuclear Blast Records
Release date: 30 August, 2024
Website: https://www.facebook.com/wintersun
Country: Finland
Score: The heads of fallen foes, or 3.7/5.0 for the samurais out there!
Metal Eclipse Reviews 