WINTERAGE – Nekyia

Winterage - Nekyia cover art
  • 8.4/10
    WINTERAGE - Nekyia - 8.4/10
8.4/10

Summary

Label: Scarlet Records
Release date: July 7, 2023

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Fans of Symphonic Metal will be in for quite a treat this month as Italian band Winterage unleashes their third full-length studio album: Nekyia on Scarlet Records. The follow-up album to the 2021 release of The Inheritance of Beauty, the new album contains many folk, Celtic, medieval and classical influences adeptly interwoven with Power Metal. Winterage seem to have the knack for perfectly blending these styles into their own sound; with speed, finesse, and powerful performances.

Heavy Metal Opera

Winterage – Nekyia has many epic tales being told in the operatic formulae, with of course Power/Prog/Classical Heavy Metal being the core of the sounds. The music was expertly crafted by Gabriele Boschi and Gianmarco Bambini, with the lyrics by Daniele Barbarossa, Gianmarco Bambini and Gabriele Boschi. A real standout is the epic cinematic orchestral and choral arrangements by Gabriele Boschi, as they bring the whole production up a notch. The powerful vocals of Daniele Barbarossa really capture the operatic style, as they add another layer to the overall feeling of being at the opera on Heavy Metal night. A real standout track “Metamorphosis, a Macabre Ritual” feels a bit like the Trans-Siberian Orchestra on steroids as they weave Danse Macabre by Camille Saint-Saëns into the arrangement.

Final Notes

This is one of the better Symphonic Heavy Metal albums in years. Not only is the musicianship fantastic from every band member, but the talent pool of the guest musicians sends this album to the top. From tales of various gods and goddesses, to stories of sorcery and a Moby Dick inspired song, Nekyia has something for every Symphonic Metal fan, even if you are not as much a fan of he genre, this could be the album to change your mind. Winterage – Nekyia is a definite keeper, and belongs in your collection.

Band photo of Winterage from 2023.
Photo: Simone Furia

Winterage – Lineup

  • Gabriele Boschi – Violin, Orchestrations, Choir arrangements
  • Daniele Barbarossa – Vocals
  • Luca Ghiglione – Drums, Percussion
  • Matteo Serlenga – Bass
  • Gianmarco Bambini – Guitars

Guest Musicians

  • Dario Gisotti Uillean Pipes, Whistles, Accordion, Banjo
  • Silvia Traverso Soprano
  • Benedetta Torre Soprano
  • Francesca Torre Soprano
  • Camilla Tognoni Mezzosoprano
  • Pietro Paliotta Baritono
  • Angelo Maria Santisi Violoncello
  • Emanuele Biggi Scream and Growl vocals
  • Neil Williams Voice Over

Nekyia – Track Listings

  1. Apertio ad Profundum
  2. Simurgh the Firebird
  3. The Cult of Hecate
  4. Numen
  5. Nekyia
  6. La fonte d’essenza
  7. Dark Enchantment
  8. White Leviathan
  9. Metamorphosis, a Macabre Ritual
  10. Resurrectio ad Mundum

Author

  • Bryce Van Patten

    Bryce is an audio engineer and a graphic designer here at Metal Express Radio. From the day he purchased his first album (Machine Head by Deep Purple), he has had a passion for heavy music, which has influenced his whole life. Bryce is from the great Pacific Northwest in USA, and has played in metal bands like Babylon, Holy Terror, The Wild Dogs, Warhead and Egypt through the 80s. He had his first interview for the Portland, Oregon publication The Rock Rag with guitarist Paul Gilbert in his Racer X days. Then he was honored to get to have drinks, and talk for an hour with the legendary Dan McCafferty of Nazareth for his second interview. In 2013, he spent an amazing hour talking to Andi Deris of Helloween, which was the high point of his heavy metal journalism.   In the year 2001, he formed Man in Black Music Publishing. They released recordings by several local bands, and in the spirit of the old Metal Massacre compilations, he created a 2-album series called The Defenders of Metal. The albums featured classic styled Metal bands from all around the world, with bands from Australia to England, and from Argentina to Russia. Currently, he is the producer/creator/vocalist of the Metal band The Black Tuesdays.

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