Dante: Winter

Six long years have passed since we last heard from German prog metal outfit Dante and their When We Were Beautiful album, which was one of the more interesting recent takes on the sound first brought to real prominence by the likes of Fates Warning and Dream Theater. Now six years is a long time in anyone’s book to be inactive, but to be fair to this band their Winter album has been completed for the best part of two years, however, their label felt that it was better to shelve the effort until the world had become a more stable place. With very little sign of that happening any day soon Dante have taken matters into their own hands and released Winter under their own steam.

I for one am very pleased that they have, the opening blast of “Holocene�, which quickly gives way to “A Cold Man’s Winter�, immediately revealing a band full of technically laced fire and energy. To leave a track of such intensity in limbo for what might well have turned into a further couple of years makes little sense to me and when it’s followed up with the Hammond hurling - a trademark from this band I remember from before - “Lazarus Leaving�, the keen mix of brutal riffs, razor sharp hooks, layered keyboard atmospheres and lush, but full force vocals, become ever more memorable. Add in some instrumental sections that make you stop in your tracks to take them in and what more could you ask for? Here, and elsewhere, it’s interesting that the vocal layering reminds a little of Yogi Lang if he was to ramp up his attack a few notches or ten - although the occasional growls are not something I’d expect from the RPWL man. Admittedly here it would appear they maybe come from Bine Heller, but the main singing courtesy of Alexander Göhs, is perfect for the territory in which Dante reside.

With the majority of the tracks hovering somewhere between the 6 and 8 minute mark, the likes of “Darker With The Day�, which is maybe more riff fuelled than most on offer here, or the brooding, eerie, “Your God In Vain�, are given ample opportunity to grow through evolving musical passages that embellish the core riffs and melodies excellently. It also ensures that as Winter unfolds, it does so in a manner that keeps you fully locked in from track to track, even if some of the musical themes and ideas have been explored by others in this style before. And if there’s a criticism to be levelled here, it’s maybe that Dante don’t appear to be too concerned with forging a new path of their own, however, in terms of traditional progressive metal outbursts, it has to be said that this is a sure fire winner.

Track Listing
1. Holocene 

2. A Cold Man's Winter 

3. Lazarus Leaving 

4. In Vertigo 

5. The Tear That Shouldn't Be 

6. Darker with the Day

7. Your God in Vain 

8. C.S.T.M.

Added: April 30th 2022
Reviewer: Steven Reid
Score:
Related Link: Dante online
Hits: 580
Language: english

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