WINTERSTORM – Everfrost

German Power Metal band Winterstorm are preparing for the release of their fifth studio album, Everfrost. It is the follow-up to Cube of Infinity, which was released in 2016. Everfrost was produced and arranged by guitarist Michael Liewald, and mixed and mastered by Olaf Reitmeier. The new songs were written by Liewald and vocalist Alexander Schirmer. The former wrote the music, while the latter wrote the lyrics.

“The album is about a civilisation on the brink of extinction, triggered by the ruthless exploitation of its planet. It’s also about overcoming the resulting problems,” said Schirmer in a press release.

Joyful and Atmospheric

Let’s start with the positives. There are some excellent guitar riffs on Everfrost, the drumming is great, and the bass lines are thick and heavy. The atmospheric keyboard parts and the big backing vocals help to create a joyful mood that works well with the band’s inventive Power Metal sound. “To the End of All Known” is a terrific song with a lot of melody and it’s very moody. It goes back and forward from being a fast-paced rocker to a symphonic, orchestrated piece. “Final Journey” is very modern-sounding and the keyboards color up the track well.

“Fate of the Atlanteans” is upbeat, has a memorable chorus, and would sound great in front of a live audience. Then, there are tracks like “Crusade” and “Overcome the Fear” that are uplifting and inspiring, thanks to the lyrics.

Everyone Hears Things Differently

As for the negatives, there are quite a few to talk about. For starters, half of the songs are too long. Not only is “The Phoenix Died (Remember)” the longest track on Everfrost, five minutes and 47 seconds long, but it’s also one of the weakest songs on there. In addition to that, the compositions could’ve been touched upon better. They needed more distinction from each other, instead of relying on similar formats and melodies. “Future Times” and the title track, specifically, sound so similar that it’s hard to tell the two songs apart.

Another problem with the album that’s worth noting are the vocals. Schirmer has a nice, smooth, melodic voice. However, when he tries to sing raspy/growl vocals, it sounds like he’s straining his voice. “Circle of Greed” is painful to listen to because of that.

Final Assessment

Everfrost is a great album for instrumental music. But, to actually pay attention to the songs and lyrics on the album, that’s difficult to do.

Album Tracklist

1. Origin
2. To the End of All Known
3. The Phoenix Died (Remember)
4. Circle of Greed
5. Future Times
6. Everfrost
7. Final Journey
8. Fate of the Atlanteans
9. Crusade
10. Overcome the Fear
11. Silence

Band Lineup

Alexander Schirmer – lead vocals
Jochen Windisch – guitars
Michael Liewald – guitars
Peter Cerveny – bass guitar
Jonas Hack – drums