The Imaginary Direction Of Time
[The End Records]

As a fan of Winds' last release, 'Reflections Of The I', I was more than anxious to see how they would follow that album up, and 'The Imaginary Direction Of Time' is just as good, if not better. Continuing with their subtle post black/neoclassical/progressive style, they have come up with another winner.

Unlike many of their classical metal brethren who use classical elements in a symphonic and bombastic way, Winds uses strings and piano much more subtly, resulting in a sort of heavy metal chamber music. Don't fret, though, as there's plenty of guitars, drums, and bass to keep any metal head satisfied. Each musician turns in a great performance, but guitarist Carl August Tidemann's is particularly impressive, weaving intrictate metal riffs with neo-classical guitar solos and fills, even showing a jazzy side (The clean solo in "Theory Of Relativity" is beautiful). Lars Eric Si's vocals take a little getting used to (my only problem with their first album), as they are a bit bland, but the man can certainly hold a tune. The vocal harmonies are very good, even though I wish they could have done a bit more with them. My only big complaint about the album as a whole is that some of the songs are quite similar, with the same tempo and 3/4 and 6/8 time signature.

The overall success of 'The Imaginary Direction Of Time' rests on its production. It was crucial to capture the subtlties of the strings and piano parts underneath the metal rhythm section, and the band absolutely nailed it. The drums, no matter how busy or intricate, never overpower the rest of the band. The guitars, no matter how distorted, never become obtrusive. The piano is crystal clear throughout, as are the strings. The mix is very good, although the bass is obscured some of the time. The band perfectly captured the somber, introspective, and pensive mood that the lyrics and music reflect.

Winds has come up big again here, although I wouldn't say they've progressed a whole lot since 'Reflections Of The I'. That being said, 'The Imaginary Direction Of Time' is a deep and engrossing work that deserves attention, as it brings together the subtleties and intricacies of chamber music with the power of heavy metal. This would be the perfect soundtrack to a rainy day. It's the kind of music you can get lost in.