WINTERAGE
“The Inheritance Of Beauty”
Album Review by British Steel Sam

9/10

As we are all too painfully aware these days, travelling is becoming increasingly difficult. When a trip to the shop becomes a bit risky, the idea of travelling to another country goes right out the window! However, I think I may have stumbled across the antidote for our woes. If you’re stuck indoors, take some time out, put this album on, sit down, close your eyes and prepare to be transported to a whole other world…

Hailing from Genoa, Italy, WINTERAGE are a Symphonic Celtic Orchestral Tour-De-Force! Their music defies conventional boundaries and labels, it is a renaissance of power and majesty that’s difficult to wrap your head around even after the hundredth listen. Formed in 2008 the band have a couple of singles and their debut album ‘The Harmonic Passage’ under their belt, but this latest album THE INHERITANNCE OF BEAUTY ratchets their sound and style up to a whole new level. To quote from their website: “Every album is recorded with a real symphonic orchestra and lyrical choir in addition to many traditional folk instruments” and this is put straight into full effect on the epic instrumental opening track OUVERTURE. This classically influenced orchestral manoeuvre is sprinkled with hints of Celtic sound via some wonderful violin playing and twisted by a modern prog-metal vibe to a building crescendo that launches into the album’s titular track THE INHERITANCE OF BEAUTY. Double bass drumming from Luca Ghiglione, furiously fingered guitar licks courtesy of Gianmarco Bambini and soaring operatic vocals from Daniele Barbarossa are immediately thrust upon the listener. Matteo Serlenga lays the basslines down thick and fast whilst Gabriele Boschi gets his moment to shine on violin during a stellar solo that starts with shredding guitar and ends with furious fiddling from the classically educated virtuoso. This is a fantastic track that lays down everything that you should expect from the band whilst leaving plenty of secrets in store for later in the album.

THE WISDOM OF US is the third album track, and more importantly a fast paced, ever changing journey into the lands of fantasy that lures the listener in with changing tempos, shifting styles and the bands signature ever-evolving sound. Don’t understand what I mean? Try and listen to this song and tell me what style you are listening to for more than a minute. I challenge you! Hold on tight, open your mind and prepare to be lifted to a new level of musical skill, precision and creativity. Next up comes the frankly stellar OF HEROES AND WONDERS. This track, like many on the album, defies an easy description! The Celtic influence comes through thick and fast on this turbo driven symphonic masterpiece. Boschi is in his element here with finger flayingly fast violin playing whilst Bambini thunders along with nice heavy metal riffs and Barbarossa gives it all on vocals, the soaring breaks supported by the choir adding a level of power that leaves listeners stunned. THE MUTINEERS is slower, nautical themed shanty of a track with a sing along feel and a riff that makes you want to break into a jig. The violin work is again first class, as is the guitar riffing and soloing that breaks out towards the end of the song. This is a foot-stomping epic that will stir the blood of any salty sea dog! As with all their tracks it’s impossible to understate the sheer variety of styles, sounds and influences on display by WINTERAGE, packaged up and blasted into your eardrums by these supremely talented musicians.

ORPHEUS AND EURYDICE is the ancient Greek tale of two lovers, the first a son of apollo gifted with supreme musical talents that famously could ‘soothe the savage beast’, the second a woman ‘of beauty and grace’, who fell in love at first sight and got married hoping for a happily ever after. But as any Greek or historian (or even married man) will tell you, happily ever after is not often how these stories end… in this particular instance Eurydice is bitten by a snake and dies, and Orpheus fills the world of gods and men, living and dead, with his sorrowful music. However, he does not give up on her and travels to the underworld itself in a bid to bring his beloved back to life. This is an epic tale of sorrow, determination, adventure and tragedy that is ripe for an epic operatic telling, and WINTERAGE are the perfect band to take on such a challenge! Their Celtic influences come through thick and fast on the first part of this epic track, the start is fast and furious with some great drumming and vocal work. The violin playing again is note perfect and as enchanting as the choir singing through the chorus. The second part of the track gives into a truly operatic performance that makes you feel as though you are at the theatre. Soaring vocals and heartfelt playing give such gravity and power to this track you can’t help but be moved. Finally, the third section brings it all together in an epic crescendo, a fitting end to the tale.

Next up comes my personal favourite song of the album. CHAIN OF HEAVEN kicks off in true metal fashion with a nice heavy, finger flaying riff and pace. The vocals are fantastic and the way the violin and guitar work together is simply sublime. The chorus is something between a religious chant and an operatic solo (it definitely feels like it could have been recorded in a church), which leads to the frankly mental guitar/violin solo! This is unchained melodic, symphonic beauty and a display of supreme musical talent. Everything about this track is epic, moving and original. Everything about it sums the band up, forever shifting in style and sound to create something new and amazing. After this stellar track comes an equally amazing show of talent, but in another totally different style! LA MORTE DI VENERE is a classical, operatic performance, the soaring vocals are phenomenal. This truly is a night at the opera. The guitar solo that cuts in around the four minute mark is there to accentuate those vocals and raise this song to its pinnacle of lofty heights. This is not metal, but it is beautiful, talented musicianship.

OBLIVION DAY is the next song on the album, and it kicks off in fantastic Celtic style with some great violin playing. The sound and speed build throughout, with more rousing vocals and great guitar playing pushing the song along into a racing epic. An oriental style is even evident midway through the song, before a brilliant guitar solo kicks off raising the tempo further. This is a teasing, twisting song that builds then drops, only to build again, a stairway style epic that ends on a crescendo of oblivion! Once again, every element of the band, from drums to bass to guitar to violin, vocals and orchestra and choir, all get their chance to give it everything and the way their individual sounds weave together is mesmerising. A true showcase of pure talent and skill. The final track on the album is THE AMAZING TOYMAKER. Now, so far I have struggled, at times, to describe the style and sound of these tracks as there is simply so much going on. With this final song though… I give up! Seriously this thing is off the rails! The best way I can describe this track is to imagine cutting open the mad hatters’ head, pouring in a ton of sugar and even more madness, then setting the results to sound of guitars, violins and a full orchestra. Its unhinged, unstoppable, improbable and indescribable! Never staying on any one style too long this strange and twisting tune will lead you down many a rabbit hole whilst you try and catch it, before changing completely whenever you try to understand it. Elements of joy are framed with sinister sounds, and soaring happiness with complete madness! It’s a triumph of musical freedom and expression, a showcase of incredible skill and also just about the strangest track I think I’ve ever listened to! Sixteen minutes seem to include one hundred songs all jumbled together and rearranged but not in ways you could ever expect.

In conclusion WINTERAGE are an incredible band. Not only are they amazingly talented, but their music is wonderfully original and spellbindingly epic. It will captivate and lead you on adventures to places you never knew existed, all the while leaving you unable to predict what will come next. Its refreshing to see a band being so experimental with their sound, and whilst many may find it divisive, there is no denying the sheer, inescapable talent these guys have! Their music is difficult to describe, their style brilliantly unique and I hope they will be making their sublime sounds for a long time to come.  

TRACKLIST

Ouverture
The Inheritance of Beauty
The Wisdom of Us
Of Heroes and Wonders
The Mutineers
Orpheus and Eurydice
Chain of Heaven
La Morte di Venere
Oblivion Day
The Amazing Toymaker

https://winterage.net/
https://www.facebook.com/winterage/

This review is property of British Steel Sam and Metal Gods TV. It is strictly prohibited to copy any part of this review, unless you have both of the parties permission, or are part of the band/record label/PR company in question. Failure to adhere to these instructions will be considered as plagiarism and you will be reported to the appropriate authorities.

---