Search - Winds :: The Imaginary Direction of Time

"Sit back and watch the game unfold..."

Nicholas Adam Chupka | Derwood, MD | 08/28/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"For those of you who are uniniterested in wasting your time reading a review, I will simply say, buy this album. If somehow you have stumbled upon this page/review, then you have fulfilled the only requirement towards having this album suggested to you: you like metal. Quality, technical, beautiful metal.



What this quartet accomplishes in the world of neo-classical technical prowress continues to impress me after countless listens.



Winds, for those of you who don't know, is somewhat of a side project, turned almost main attraction, which is undoubtedly one of the top shelf employees of the avant garde The End Records label.



Though all of the musicians in this group (yes, even the vocalist) possess unbelievable technical prowress, it is Hellhammer of Mayhem, Kovenant, and Arcturus fame who delivers the punishing blows.



This singular musician made me morn the day I chose to wield the axe over pounding the skins of doom.



Coupled with the schizophrenically fast yet controlled licks of Carl Lindemann, and the song-writing and piano playing genius of Andy Winter, Hellhammer emphatically obliterates any pre-exisitng notions of how to showcase drums in classical music.

Most impressive are tracks five and six where Hellhammer literally climbs the tempo chart, one step at a time, with his patented and unrivaled double bass blasts.



Though I will agree with many other reviewers here that it may be the vocals that leave the most to be desired, they are by no means bad, and they in no way detract from the overall effect. In addition, with the exception of a few overly-complex and abstract passages, the lyrics are among my favorite to read. They are insightful, atypical, and are often coupled well with the music to create a nice dramatic effect.



Andy Winter also impresses on the keys, which, to my liking, are almost enitrely acoustic. This composer graces every song with at least one flourish of the stuff that solidifies the position of classical music as an ancestor of metal.



Behind Hellhammer though, It is Carl on the axe who draws the most attention. This man's licks are sharp and complex, but you get this undeniable feeling that they are being played with the greatest of ease. Those of you who deplore the absence of solos in most of today's metal will drool over the solos that I can only, and inaccurately (but I don't know how else to say it!) describe as Yngwie Malmsteen playing on the Candlemass classic, "Epicus, Doomicus, Metallicus."



So please, for the sake of preserving the still and always existing world of metal that IS interested in pushing the genre forward while retaining the aggression and attitude which has always set it apart from all other popular music forms, buy this album, and float upon the "Imaginary Direction of Time". It is a journey you will never regret."

Very sophisticated.

Warren D. | South England. | 05/18/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Another masterpiece from Winds. I feel somewhat strongly that to say this album is very nearly flawless cannot be contested. Indeed, I believe this to be true.
Compared to "Reflections of the I", "The Imaginary direction of time" is heavier. The focus is stronger on the guitar work of Tidemann, where the solos performed on nearly every song sound virtually impossible to pull off, and are once again aided by the parallel bass drumming of Hellhammer, who has no equal. The bass is louder on this album, which for myself, a bassist, is a definate plus. It sounds particularly prevalent on "Silence in Despair", one of my favourite songs. Si's voice is excellent. The appearance of layered vocals here are particularly impressive. Andy Winter's piano playing is top class which, with the 4-piece string section provides the great classical atmosphere characteristic of Winds.
Perhaps a little less orchestral than its predecessor, "The Imaginary direction of time" is an absolute masterpiece. All but perfect, progressive, dark, professional and a sophisticated piece of metal, for the connoisseur.
My favourite songs on this album are "Theory of relativity", "Visions of perfection" and "Silence in despair". I find the instrumentals "Sounds like desolation" and "Infinity" to be extremely well suited titles, when one listens to the relatively short sparsity of the songs, particularly on the latter.
Wonderful."

OMG!!

donald peckenpaugh | Forestville, Maryland United States | 05/02/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This is my 2nd time listening to this album. 2nd time you say, well I've only had it for about 2 hours!! This album is my first Winds experiece and I am enthralled to say the least! A perfect juxtaposition of classical and neo metal that will bring you to the edge. Lars Eric Si vocals are crisp, clean, sharp and powerfull. Carl August Tidemann guitar? Think Malmasteen without the ego. Jan Axel von Blomberg drums? Sounds like a machine gun with rythem! Not to forget the mastermind behind all of this...the piano player....yup a piano!! Andy Winter. Last but not least, the orchastra which provides the string accompiant."