WINTER IN EDEN - SOCIAL FAKE
Very impressive album from symphonic rockers.
Winter In Eden, the symphonic metal UK band, return with their fourth release, and an early contender certainly for album cover of the year, if nothing else, with its interesting dystopian image of a robotic wolf. It is available through Cherry Red Records. Social Fake is my first introduction to their music, and I will, for sure, be exploring in more detail previous releases.
Vocally, and musically in parts, the band remind me very strongly of one of my favourite acts, Sweden’s Introitus, albeit that this band express themselves in far heavier terms. Further, the album features perhaps the finest example of child voices since a certain Floyd engaged a bunch of inner-city yoof on The Wall, famously not paying the poor urchins a penny for doing so, instead extorting them to feel “the honour of appearing”.
The centrepiece of the album is the three-part Critical Mass, 9 minutes of class rock music. The initial section features the main protagonists son and a synthetic being speaking to their diary that they have “lost her, lost everything”, whilst part two – The Change – opens with a gentle piano and cello with a violin soaring over this bringing us a wonderful orchestral segment which leads us into the full band and a piano lead taking us on a really interesting musical journey. This segment is rather like a set of building blocks, with the gentle foundation being augmented step by step as the song progresses. Rage is the final part and there are some thumping riffs before the interesting male vocals contrast with Vicky Johnson’s lead and take centre stage. This is deeply impressive, and when the male/female harmonies kick in the track moves forward with some very heavy undertones. There is a superb guitar solo 2:50 minutes in, deep and menacing, and the denouement of the track is a highlight of the year thus far, with a sharp stop to proceedings before a Gregorian chant and dissonant piano bring the track to a close.
Elsewhere, there is also much to enjoy here.
The title track opens proceedings, and is a really good slab of classic rock, in much the same vein, I suppose, as that great band I have also reviewed today, Magnum, although this is far heavier in its execution. There is a strong theme of betrayal here and it is really very emotional and powerful, and the keyboards soaring are integral to this, and all else on the album, in particular on the next track Never Let Go where the keys rise gloriously above the opening riffs.
Out Of Touch is a deceptive piece. At its start, you get the impression that what we will get here is a standard, good but nothing earth shattering or “progressive”, love/betrayal rocker. The keys, though, are again lovely as they move above the pounding riffs and then, some 3:30 minutes in, there is a wonderful quiet key, a violin, then voice before piano takes over. This track, in particular, demonstrates just why Winter In Eden are so highly thought of by the likes of Whispering Bob and The Classic Rock Society, because there is so much intelligence wrought amongst the riffs. The closing passage has the first appearance of the lovely children’s voices, and this is fantastic.
Down is a great symphonic metal track exploring loneliness and possibly depression – the music certainly has that inherent feel to it.
Blind Acceptance is another fast paced rocker with keys very important again. Halfway in, a guitar solo kicks in alongside some interesting, and menacing, artificial intelligence effects. “Simple metal” this band most certainly are not, witnessed again by a wonderful orchestral passage which closes the track.
Smiling Assassin has a gentle opening passage, with more yearning strings. With its evocative piano and strings, this song could really be a nightmare song for travellers and is very folky in its conception and execution.
Exclusive Invitation is a warmer piece with some more nice orchestration to open and fine children voices backing Johnson. This is a real fantasy epic and very uplifting taking us to the paradise. The children choir 3 minutes in is a joy to listen to. This is a very strong track on which to close a very strong 39 minutes of music. “Dreaming of a world so wonderful” – well, this album adds to that wonderful world and is very much recommended.