Fans of Dream Theater, Symphony X, and Iced Earth looking for new blood? Look no further. Canada's Gates of Winter is the latest outstanding unsigned band to burst onto the scene and inject new life into the sound heralded by these somewhat aging groups. However at a glance, the fact that Gates of Winter are unsigned would not even enter one's wildest dreams. Everything from the album's production to their website is so professional that it almost shouts, "our label paid for this!". Lux Aeterna is yet another example of the amazing results that an unsigned band can achieve when they are truly dedicated and good at what they do (and have the money to pay for it of course!). Funny enough, I actually only caught on to the fact that they were unsigned when I saw the "seeking label representation" notice on their myspace well after starting this review.
Musically, it can't get much better. Lee Maines' vocals are outstanding, his smooth baritone voice readily influenced by power metal crooners such as Matt Barlow and Russell Allen, and aided by a notable female vocalist featured on the song 'The Burning Kingdom Part One: A Dark Affliction'. Her voice contrasts well to Lee's and really gives the vibe of the song a definite push over the edge (and I'd appreciate hearing more of her on Gates' next release, nudge nudge). The instrumentalists are all good at what they do, and keep a tight but organic sound throughout the entire record. As for how to classify this band, I find the "symphonic metal" tag on the front page of the Gates of Winter website a bit dubious, since although there are symphonic qualities, they are mainly found in the synth orchestral patches often featured under the rest of the music. "Symphonic Metal" is a classification that is thrown around far too much these days anyway (it seems to pop up wherever synth strings are present), and even so, I don't really hear it as the central focus of the music. I would classify this more as strong melodic progressive metal, due to the intelligent arrangement, the mix of catchy and obscure melodies alike, and the large keyboard presence.
One of the first things that I look for in a band is a signature quality, something that is instantly recognizable to listeners the moment the music fades in. While this band is incredibly good, one of the only things about them that turns me off is their lack of this definitive "sound", instead exhibiting more of a mash-up of a number of different bands' styles. I'd like to see them develop this in the future, because their lack of this certain quality is, I believe, the only thing keeping them from blowing up completely. However, and this is a big however; there is something to be said for a band that is presently creating fresher and more interesting music than most of the bands that influence it, which in my opinion is exactly the case with Lux Aeterna. Gates of Winter have also done a very cool thing and torrented their album for anyone wishing to download and have a listen before they invest, which I find worthy of the utmost respect. So download Lux Aeterna, and if you dig it, buy it. Take advantage of this awesomeness now though, because by my reckoning, Gates of Winter will not be left unsigned for long.
