Vintersorg - Visions From The Spiral Generator
Napalm Records, 2002
In relation to Vintersorg I've met two kinds of people, those who like anything he does, and others who can't stand his unique voice. One thing is for sure there are lots of Vintersorg (alias Andreas Hedlund) fans all around the world. He started a project in 1994 under the name of Vargatron that became a one man band in 1996, and later changed the name to Vintersorg. With each album he has released since then he has taken a step forward, living up to all expectations and always giving something new to his fans.
This is the 4th full length release under the name of Vintersorg and over the years we have heard many guest musicians take part on these great albums, as is the case again on Visions From the Spiral Generator (VFTSG). Besides Mattias Marklund who is a full time member of this band we can hear the performances by Steve DiGiorgio (Death, Sadus, Testament) on bass guitar and Asgeir Mickelson(Borknagar, Spiral Architect) on the drums. The keyboard and the Hammond organ was handled by Nils Johansson and Lars Nedland (Borknagar, Solefald). They all showed their talent and skills, all of them doing a great job. They recorded the album in three studios in three different countries, in Sweden and Norway and Steve (playing on fretless bass!!!) of course in the US. The result is excellent, you can hear everything clearly.
As I wrote above, the music has always changed on the Vintersorg albums and this is the case again with VFTSG. I'm not talking about dramatic changes, you can feel the natural development that's result is this album. The music has evolved further from its black metal roots into more progressive, technical, avant-garde music. In this album Vintersong also lost a lot of their folk and Viking music influences, but that's in keeping with the concept of VFTSG. The lyrics of VFTSG are scientific and philosophical, about the structure of universe, creation and also from metaphysics. Unfortunately the songs are mostly in Swedish, so we non-Swedish speakers can't really understand them, but on the other hand we can still hear the rhymes and the melody of the text and for us it gives a special feeling to it, I even dare to say, it makes it a bit mystical. After reading the metaphors he uses in English I think he made beautiful Swedish lyrics too.
Different musical styles has been combined to create something new you just can`t categorize (nor would you want to). They explored new fields of metal with this album. You can find only counter-term words to describe it, chaotic and balanced, ever-changing but everlasting. While you are listening VFTSG sometimes you will feel like you are floating in calm, empty space surrounded by the light of distant stars, or you feel like sinking down in a storming black metal spiral or sometimes you are just simply lost among the progressive music changes. You are guided through this cosmic journey by the sound of acoustic and distorted guitars, progressive keyboards and by the beautiful voice of the Hammond organ and of course, by the voice of Vintersorg himself. His raspy, shrieking vocals sound like part of the music, as if it were just another instrument (it might sound strange but I feel that way). When it comes to his clear vocals his voice shines like crystal through the music, he is playing with his vocal abilities as he always does. His charismatic voice is his trademark, though I really miss that low toned voice we can hear on Havayoth or on some of the previous Vintersorg releases.
VFTSG`s opening track titled "Quotation" is a very unusual intro. Normally the songs end with lowered volume and they used this technique in reverse. "Quotation" starts very quietly and builds up to the normal volume. "The only laws of matter are those our mind must fabricate, And the only laws of mind are fabricated by matter." It's followed by "Vem Styr Symmetrin". The song starts with keyboards that lead into a fast black metal-ish part but after a rhythm change it slows down with a nice melody. They produced some weird guitar sounds in the middle of the song just before the guitar solo. This is not the only song that is so varied and complex, I could mention "A Metaphysical Drama" too( I think 'old' Vintersorg fans will like these songs even if they are not satisfied with the whole album). "Universums Dunkla Alfabet" has a more futuristic mood due to the sound of the organ but this sound also gives the feeling of 70`s music, though there are typical metal tempos played by the other instruments and it has a nice acoustic part in the middle of the song too. "E.S.P. Mirage" has the weirdest intro on the album produced by the keyboards. There are many tempo changes in this song. The running voice of the keyboards and the guitars make "E.S.P. Mirage" an interesting but not easily receivable song because of its chaotic structure. In "Spegelsfären" we can finally really enjoy the fretless bass sound as a solo instrument. "The Explorer" is a varied song again with several changes and breakdowns in it but I don't have the feeling that the song is falling to pieces from its variety. I also like the refrain parts when it's sung by the clean and raspy black metal vocals together, giving a contrast to it. "A Star-guarded Coronation" is an interesting song like "E.S.P. Mirage" but it's slower, so we can label it as a ballad, though from the keyboard's sound it has a cold atmosphere. There are also brilliant guitar solos which have been combined with the futuristic keyboard parts, lead by some simple but great melodies. The song stays in your head after just one listening. VFTSG closes with "Trace Locator" that is the most typical black metal song on the album with its aggressiveness and heaviness.
I don't think I could tell you everything about the songs because after listening the album several times I can still find things on it I haven`t recognized earlier. But I don`t even want to analyze it completely because I`m sure everybody will find different characters on the album to like. It will take some time to really get into the album, to know every little part of it, but its really worth the time and each listening is a nice experience.
Favorite tracks: Vem Styr Symmetrin, A Metaphysical Drama, Spegelsfären, The Explorer
To close this review I quote from `The Explorer`:
"He sees a paradise in every flower
a solar system in every spark
He's trying to reach a subliminal power
and slowly sinks into the dark."
Tracklist:
1. Quotation
2. Vem Styr Symmetrin
3. A Metaphysical Drama
4. Universums Dunkla Alpabet
5. E.S.P. Mirage
6. Spegelsfären
7. The Explorer
8. A Star- Guarded Coronation
10. Trance Locator
Playing time: 41:02
Vintersorg Official Homepage
Napalm Records
Napalm Records, 2002
In relation to Vintersorg I've met two kinds of people, those who like anything he does, and others who can't stand his unique voice. One thing is for sure there are lots of Vintersorg (alias Andreas Hedlund) fans all around the world. He started a project in 1994 under the name of Vargatron that became a one man band in 1996, and later changed the name to Vintersorg. With each album he has released since then he has taken a step forward, living up to all expectations and always giving something new to his fans.
This is the 4th full length release under the name of Vintersorg and over the years we have heard many guest musicians take part on these great albums, as is the case again on Visions From the Spiral Generator (VFTSG). Besides Mattias Marklund who is a full time member of this band we can hear the performances by Steve DiGiorgio (Death, Sadus, Testament) on bass guitar and Asgeir Mickelson(Borknagar, Spiral Architect) on the drums. The keyboard and the Hammond organ was handled by Nils Johansson and Lars Nedland (Borknagar, Solefald). They all showed their talent and skills, all of them doing a great job. They recorded the album in three studios in three different countries, in Sweden and Norway and Steve (playing on fretless bass!!!) of course in the US. The result is excellent, you can hear everything clearly.
As I wrote above, the music has always changed on the Vintersorg albums and this is the case again with VFTSG. I'm not talking about dramatic changes, you can feel the natural development that's result is this album. The music has evolved further from its black metal roots into more progressive, technical, avant-garde music. In this album Vintersong also lost a lot of their folk and Viking music influences, but that's in keeping with the concept of VFTSG. The lyrics of VFTSG are scientific and philosophical, about the structure of universe, creation and also from metaphysics. Unfortunately the songs are mostly in Swedish, so we non-Swedish speakers can't really understand them, but on the other hand we can still hear the rhymes and the melody of the text and for us it gives a special feeling to it, I even dare to say, it makes it a bit mystical. After reading the metaphors he uses in English I think he made beautiful Swedish lyrics too.
Different musical styles has been combined to create something new you just can`t categorize (nor would you want to). They explored new fields of metal with this album. You can find only counter-term words to describe it, chaotic and balanced, ever-changing but everlasting. While you are listening VFTSG sometimes you will feel like you are floating in calm, empty space surrounded by the light of distant stars, or you feel like sinking down in a storming black metal spiral or sometimes you are just simply lost among the progressive music changes. You are guided through this cosmic journey by the sound of acoustic and distorted guitars, progressive keyboards and by the beautiful voice of the Hammond organ and of course, by the voice of Vintersorg himself. His raspy, shrieking vocals sound like part of the music, as if it were just another instrument (it might sound strange but I feel that way). When it comes to his clear vocals his voice shines like crystal through the music, he is playing with his vocal abilities as he always does. His charismatic voice is his trademark, though I really miss that low toned voice we can hear on Havayoth or on some of the previous Vintersorg releases.
VFTSG`s opening track titled "Quotation" is a very unusual intro. Normally the songs end with lowered volume and they used this technique in reverse. "Quotation" starts very quietly and builds up to the normal volume. "The only laws of matter are those our mind must fabricate, And the only laws of mind are fabricated by matter." It's followed by "Vem Styr Symmetrin". The song starts with keyboards that lead into a fast black metal-ish part but after a rhythm change it slows down with a nice melody. They produced some weird guitar sounds in the middle of the song just before the guitar solo. This is not the only song that is so varied and complex, I could mention "A Metaphysical Drama" too( I think 'old' Vintersorg fans will like these songs even if they are not satisfied with the whole album). "Universums Dunkla Alfabet" has a more futuristic mood due to the sound of the organ but this sound also gives the feeling of 70`s music, though there are typical metal tempos played by the other instruments and it has a nice acoustic part in the middle of the song too. "E.S.P. Mirage" has the weirdest intro on the album produced by the keyboards. There are many tempo changes in this song. The running voice of the keyboards and the guitars make "E.S.P. Mirage" an interesting but not easily receivable song because of its chaotic structure. In "Spegelsfären" we can finally really enjoy the fretless bass sound as a solo instrument. "The Explorer" is a varied song again with several changes and breakdowns in it but I don't have the feeling that the song is falling to pieces from its variety. I also like the refrain parts when it's sung by the clean and raspy black metal vocals together, giving a contrast to it. "A Star-guarded Coronation" is an interesting song like "E.S.P. Mirage" but it's slower, so we can label it as a ballad, though from the keyboard's sound it has a cold atmosphere. There are also brilliant guitar solos which have been combined with the futuristic keyboard parts, lead by some simple but great melodies. The song stays in your head after just one listening. VFTSG closes with "Trace Locator" that is the most typical black metal song on the album with its aggressiveness and heaviness.
I don't think I could tell you everything about the songs because after listening the album several times I can still find things on it I haven`t recognized earlier. But I don`t even want to analyze it completely because I`m sure everybody will find different characters on the album to like. It will take some time to really get into the album, to know every little part of it, but its really worth the time and each listening is a nice experience.
Favorite tracks: Vem Styr Symmetrin, A Metaphysical Drama, Spegelsfären, The Explorer
To close this review I quote from `The Explorer`:
"He sees a paradise in every flower
a solar system in every spark
He's trying to reach a subliminal power
and slowly sinks into the dark."
Tracklist:
1. Quotation
2. Vem Styr Symmetrin
3. A Metaphysical Drama
4. Universums Dunkla Alpabet
5. E.S.P. Mirage
6. Spegelsfären
7. The Explorer
8. A Star- Guarded Coronation
10. Trance Locator
Playing time: 41:02
Vintersorg Official Homepage
Napalm Records
