Frontiers Music [Release date : 29.08.25]
Broadly speaking, in English, the Finnish word “Unen” means “We stand united”.
No surprise really. Arriving at a definitive line-up has taken time, and you could almost hear a joint sigh of relief from the band when the last piece of the jigsaw, vocalist Stina Girs (Finland “Idols” winner) slotted into place in 2023.
Timo, Tomi, Harri, Petteri and Kimmo provide guitars, bass, keys and drums.
The band’s only stated point of reference is Evanescence. And that’s a bit of stretch. Yes, they aim to replicate their emotive rock ballads and Amy’s powerful, operatic vocals, but fall a bit short.
Plus the fact, at 12 tracks, the album is too long. Just not enough variety and it lacks a strong enough thread to connect the serious minded tracks.
On the upside, there are several beautifully assembled pieces of music making sprinkled throughout. The focus on detail, crisp production and immaculate delivery of the serious minded stuff is impressive.
‘Prelude For The Wicked’ is a dramatic, spoken word opener. The lyric “the air is heavy with the weight of battles fought” stands out, already transporting us to a world of music that’s cinematic in concept as well as sound.
‘My Love is Broken’ and ‘In My Bones’ show a spine tingling command of darkly operatic orchestral colours, easing their way into mainstream Symphonic Rock. And ‘Black Heart’ whips up the kind of tuneful musical storm we expect from Coldplay, punctuated by piano and strings, ascending to a sweetly sung chorus.
The broader melodrama of the balladic title track, well produced, exquisitely arranged, lacks bite. Girs delivers a heartfelt vocal performance, but neither the melody nor the lyrics are strong enough to capture our imagination, making it difficult for us to invest in her plight.
‘Sky’ is the album’s highpoint. Powerful images and soaring symphonics are deployed with absolute precision. Ensemble playing at its best.
As the cliché goes, Forever Winter is something of a mixed bag.
That said, the good bits are legit. ***
Review by Brian McGowan
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