| CD REVIEW Winter’s Verge |
|
|
Band : Winter’s Verge Not even two years after the release and relatively positive reception of their debut full-length Eternal Damnation on Limb Music Products (the review done by yours truly and posted 13/03/2008, I am confident in asuring you that’s where you’ll find a detailed tale of the band’s existence up to that moment), and Cypriots Winter’s Verge are back with a sophomore album. The road has however not been without changes! For starters, in April 2008 Chris Ioannides replaced longtime drummer Andreas Charalambous (left for personal and professional reasons, but remained good friends, even to the point of being the band’s webmaster). Ioannides is apparently one of the most respected session on the band’s hometurf island, having played about every style imaginable…and a regular on the venue circuit. When the band asked him whether he’d like to join, he was immediately interested, and one try-out later he was in! With the past experiences this new drummer brought into the songwriting, the band started working on 10 new songs, each member pushing his abilities to the max they also re-arranged one older song that had not previously been recorded…and eventually again entered Germany’s Music Factory Studios in late March and April of 2009, where they recorded the 11 tracks, again under productional supervision of R.D. Liapakis. Then began the harduous route to finding a label to release the album, because in spite of Eternal Damnation’s positive reception, LMP was either not willing to take on a new adventure with the Cypriots, or they themselves sought a better suiting partner (details were not divulged). In April they found a new manager, and in June they presented their new album during a gig on Cyprus soil. Following a short Greek tour on the Prog ‘n’ Run Festival, November brough news that the band had signed a deal with Massacre, and a confirmation of the band supporting Mystic Prophecy (later joined by Tracedown and Dream Evil, apparently) and headliners Stratovarius for a short “behind the former Iron Curtain” tour (part of their Polaris tour) in late January 2010. Well, when listening to the album one cannot but confirm the fact that this band has grown technically. With a more Progressive direction also comes an overall darker feel than on the debut. The lyrical content of the songs (centred around the concept of “Tales Of Tragedy”, you know) certainly helps in that way! Even the band’s two ballads (“For Those Who Are Gone” and “Madness Once Called Love”) have a looming depressive mood. To make sure the fans would be able to get acquainted with the new album’s material, the band posted no less than 4 new songs (alongside the threesome that came from the debut album) at myspace.com/wintersverge. Check it out, compare, then…well, that’s up to you, really! Personally, I still don’t get the “exotic” tag one gave the band (due to coming from Cyprus) in an earlier stage of their career, but I now dó feel the band stands a better chance against more established bands. Whether they’ll ever make it real big, is a thing that remains to be seen! At any rate, Cyprus (a relatively barren place for Metal, even if several bands dó exist there) definitely has a very nice representative in the Progressive Power Metal area with Winter’s Verge! 86/100 Tony. |
