Heavily influenced by George R.R. Martin’s “A Song of Ice and Fire”, Germany’s Dying Phoenix has, after more than ten years of activity, delivered their debut album. This epic symphonic metal journey is ‘’ Winter Is Coming’’.
From the majesty and grandeur of the introduction of ‘’Valar Morghulis’’ you will notice how complete Winter Is Coming is. Nothing is out of place, and the tracks delivered are the highest evolutions of themselves. Featuring no less than three vocalists Pat St. James, and Erica Bianca, with Moran Magal, the result is a textured, layered conceptual offering where vocals reflect the emotive characters and story within. It is an album imbued with a true sense of romanticism. It is sometimes mesmerizing and constantly surprising with the highest level of musicianship.
‘’Attack the Wall’’ is pure heavy metal with great dual vocals, the male earthly and the female soprano ethereal. The result is a driven track that is elevated into the heavens, Whilst ‘’Deep Down Below’’ has a huge riff and keyboard section that epitomises the power and glory that is Symphonic Metal. ‘’Who Owns the North’’ is magic with its keys and triple vocals where everybody shines in glory, and no one is overlooked.
It ebbs and flows with cinematic glory epic in its scope and delivery. Some of the riffs are pure Teutonic metal whilst the keyboards are classic beauty as on ‘’ “Dead Faces Blue”, culminating into the glory of‘’ Saturnine Days’’.
‘’Winter Is Coming’’ combines elegance with the power of metal. It is an intriguing journey that becomes more addictive upon repeated listening. Experimental yet eminently recognizable, it finally ushers in Dying Phoenix as true innovators and contenders within a genre that is without limits.
Dying Phoenix: Facebook
Release Year: 2023
Label: El Puerto Records
Category: Album
Country: Germany
Reviewed by Sparky
