Album of the week: Wintersun - Time II

For the idea behind the album of the week, go here. (It is becoming more like the album of the month, but I'm defiantly carrying on as best as I can. ;-))   

I might die on the hill believing that Wintersun's self-titled debut is one of the greatest metal records ever. I remember listening to this record for hours on end and loving the mix between the fast-paced songs and the slower, more majestic & stately songs. Since then, Jari has (rightfully) drawn a lot of controversy and a lot of ink has been spilt over the postponements, production process, crowdfunding, perfectionism, etc. I listened to Time I when it came out and was left slightly disappointed by the very ambitious, but to me not always entirely coherent and free-flowing songs.

Still, this week I gave Time II a chance and listening to the record, I was reminded of a quote by Orson Welles: "The enemy of art is the absence of limitations." Similar to Time I, I feel that Time II is pushing hard to write epic songs (i.e. long songs that range from 6 to 12 minutes) that not always feel like they add up. The lack of structure can sometimes leave you disoriented, and holding onto some melodic parts that do not feature again in the song feels like cupping water in your hands - they just slip away from you. Sometimes trying too hard and doing too much still leaves you empty-handed.

The production is powerful and into your face, but I feel that the guitars are somewhat buried in the songs beneath all the layers above them. 

All things considered, if given the choice, I'd pick the debut anytime over this. Granted, the record is complex and might grow with time, but after listening to it twice, the song that most stuck with me is the mid-paced "The one with the shadows", which brings back memories of songs such as "Sleeping Stars" and "Death and the Healing".

Standout track: "The one with the Shadows"