Album Review: Winterage – The Inheritance of Beauty (Scarlet Records)

Having previously released the critically acclaimed debut album ‘The Harmonic Passage’ and shared the stage with renowned bands such as Angra, Moonspell, Elvenking, Dark Moor, Dragonland and Pathfinder and many others, Winterage are now ready to unleash their full potential and reach a broader audience with their new, ambitious effort.

‘The Inheritance of Beauty’ is a Symphonic metal opus with strong influences coming from Irish folk, classical and medieval music. The theme of the album is the fight of beauty against decadence. Botticelli’s Venus, representing authentic art, has turned back to stare at our world: what she sees is decadence, forgetfulness of art’s values and the forsaking of Nature. The inheritance of real beauty is hidden in the essence of human beings and artists can give it new life.

It will be released on January 15th, 2021 via Scarlet Records.

The first symphonic listen of 2021 sets the bar extremely high. Winterage’s The Inheritance of Beauty going down the grandiose and bombastic route. The right, yet overused, word is epic. This is an epic as shown immediately by the symphonic and lengthy introduction, Ouverture.

A sign of what is to come; the orchestral melodies, sense of majesty, dark undertones and folkish rhythms are all present and quite inspiring. It then flows perfectly into the title track where the ‘metal’ part of their symphonic metal arrives in unsurprising style. Punchy and intense, it’s part war cry and part mournful reflection.

Both The Wisdom of Us and Of Heroes and Wonders has similar wild instrumentation while being earnestly animated with folky edges. While still sounding befittingly magnificent and enriching.

It’s that folksy touch that drives the party atmosphere of The Mutineers before Winterage pick the pace back up with Orpheus and Eurydice. Easily one of the most thrilling efforts thanks to the varied vocal styles. Chain of Heaven has a ton of meat to the bones, the guitars (which have been a little muted throughout admittedly) really shining and helping deliver one of the heavier tracks on the album.

Whereas La Morte di Venere is completely focused on melodrama and emotion with something more operatic. Ensuring the penultimate track, Oblivion Day’s feel-good vibes are even more welcome. Especially as the finale of The Amazing Toymaker is so grand, it needs to be given undivided attention.

A track that is over 16 minutes long and is storytelling at its finest. Told by a band more than capable of delivering a masterclass in symphonic metal. When you don’t even notice the length of the track, you know things have been done right.

The bar has been well and truly set.

Winterage – The Inheritance of Beauty Full Track Listing:

1. Ouverture
2. The Inheritance of Beauty
3. The Wisdom of Us
4. Of Heroes and Wonders
5. The Mutineers
6. Orpheus and Eurydice
7. Chain of Heaven
8. La Morte di Venere
9. Oblivion Day
10. The Amazing Toymaker

Links

Website | Bandcamp | Facebook | Scarlet Records