Impressions of Winter:

Impressions of Winter is one of those bands that I am surprised that I like so much when I look at the general nature and qualities of most of the other music I listen to.

More often than not I like some level of harshness or heaviness, none is found here. I usually like distortion, noise, and cyber qualities, again none to be found here. What is it that captures the interest then?

The music is very melodic but also dark and melancholy, filled with a sadness but more powerful yet is a beauty that comes across. This beauty and sadness carry over into both the male and female vocals which alternate lead parts, sometimes in one song, others just one or the other is predominant.

The music is definitely electronic and has many strong parallels to other bands in the scene but even this has a unique quality to it that ties it into the theme suggested by the band's name as well as the vocals.

The male vocals are higher pitched than the standard gothic fare but are sung in a professional manner reminiscent of old Hollywood craft at times but never falling into commercial sounds or lyrics.

The female vocals are full and deep, bringing to mind operatic styles but mixed with other classical styles.

Live, the band consists mainly of both vocalists on stage, I believe they had someone playing keyboard or at least monitoring the tech.

A screen in the background allowed images to be projected that fit the theme with frosty, desolate wintery pictures of landscapes with nothing living in them.

The lyrics are hard to make out while they are singing (at least for me, I am not even sure what language they are singing in sometimes), so you are left more with the beauty and impressions invoked by the mood of the vocals more than anything else and the voices become the predominant instruments in the music.

There are not many bands in or out of this scene that have this type of style of vocal expression, particularly the male voice. It is a welcome addition to the genre and I could see him doing well globally if not for the darkness of the music (which quite frankly is what draws me to his music however).

On CD I find myself most often putting in their remix experience album just because some of the remixers have added a little bit more up-beat qualities and tempos to the songs but I do like all of the albums.

It is interesting to note that earlier albums were produced and released by Mozart (Umbra et Imago) via Spirit Productions . Yet another great band that Mozart saw the talent in and subsequently helped out.

I would recommend anyone checking out a track of Impressions of Winter to see if it is their type of thing or not, you never know when the mood and atmosphere might overtake you and you enjoy it despite it not being your usual musical bag.

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