Customer Reviews

Redivivus

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4 star:		(2)
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Winters Bane have really delivered a killer modern metal album with Redivivus! If your a fan of Nevermore like I am than you should like this one very much.

Like Nevermore, Winter's Bane play a very heavy yet still melodic brand of metal/thrash with a few prog touches. Very busy and original riffs combined with technical leads and soaring clean vocals. The guitar playing by founding member Lou St. Paul is killer! Very creative and inspired similar to Jeff Loomis's style.

Speaking of vocals, the singer Alex Koch, is truely awesome! Very similar to Warrell Dane as well but maybe a bit more straightforward in his delivery. For those who don't know, Ripper Owens was originally the singer in this band before being recruited to take over in Priest. That said, I actually prefer Alex's vocals and they really fit the music here.

Another strength of the band is their songcraft. Very well written song's that while catchy are never too obvious and open up more after repeated listens. Most songs are at the mid to fast pace tempo. The drumming is very solid and tight. In addition to the mature compositions the top-notch production job allows you to hear every detail of the music very clearly.

Now don't get the wrong idea, Winters Bane is in no way a copy cat Nevermore band and other influences can be found throughout Redivivus. They really craft there own sound a create some modern cutting edge metal. Here is hoping we hear more from this great band in the future. Definately will be in my top 10 for 2006!

Standout Tracks: Dead Faith, Catching the Sun, Seal the Light, The World, Burning Bridges

Band Site: www.wintersbane.net

I was a wintersbane fan from the days of heart of a killer which was a stunningly good album back in the early 90s, then the worst thing happened to a band I liked, the singer Tim Ripper Owens left for Judas Priest, wintersbane were dead or so I thought as things got very quiet about them, then in 2006 I see a review about Wintersbane and their new album Redivivus, is this the same band I wondered and after some investigation I found out it was. I got my copy and what do I think of the new reformed WB, stunning thats what this album is, a true return to form for what has to be one of the USAs premier heavy/power metal acts, they have a style of their own even if you do hear a bit of Nevermore/Iced Earth in their music they are not copycats and do what they do best rock out like hell, Lou st paul (Guitars) does a steller job on his axe and the recrutement Alexander Koch on vocals and Mark Cross on drums have just made the whole package stunning. A must buy album if you like your metal heavy with hints of melody...Madgarry

The name Winters Bane definitely became most known because of their original singer Tim Owens joining Judas Priest and Iced Earth respectively. The album they released with Owens still ranks high on my metalheads' favourites lists, being a strong balance of American power metal and face-ripping speed metal with nods to Owens' influences. After the debut, they released Girth, a thrashier album, and while good by its own merits, the band's fans yearned for a return to their earlier material.

Redivivus sees the band revisiting their more traditional metal roots, but there is still a good amount of instrumental dexterity present on these songs boasting excellent melodic and thrasy guitar work by original member Lou St. Paul. The rhythm section also sees the addition of former Metalium drummer Mark Cross who puts in a great performance. They've also recruited former Powergod vocalist Alexander Koch (now sadly replaced by another vocalist) who also fronts the progressive metal band Scenes. Having heard his albums with both bands, I am surprised at his diversity and ability to snap into a more Warrel Dane-like beast, and portraying a wide range of moods. It is amazing how effortlessly he is able to shift between styles: from the high-pitched power metal screaming of "Catching the Sun", imbued with a blazing lead solo and killer backing harmony; to the thrashy "Spark to Flame" and mercilessly heavy "Dead Faith", he proves how versatile he truly is. On the former he sings like a demented Warrel Dane circa Sanctuary, but the arrangement and guitar riffery is more akin to modern day Nevermore. "Remember to Forget" is an angry rocker, with crushing guitar and bass, and Koch even recalls the great Tim Owens during the high register vocal parts. Winters Bane also presents classic speed metal numbers like "Seal the Light" and "Burning Bridges", both marked by shred-intensive fretwork and thematically alike arrangements. Jeff Welch on bass is a monster on his instrument, thickening St. Paul's ferocious rhythm crunch through and through. The drumming on this piece is easily the highlight and kudos to St. Paul for having developed a unique melodic signature that sets him apart from most other shredders.

It will be interesting to observe them with their new singer on their next album. Let's hope it will be another winner.

This is the best album Winters Bane has released yet, the new singer is amazing, like Axl, Ripper, and DIO rolled into one powerhouse metal singer. Im looking forward to more releases from the lineup. Keep the metal flowing guys great job!

Upon first listen, it is difficult to appreciate the full power of this album. By the second or third listen ,it could be one of your favorite metal albums, as it is one of mine. If you like the style of Nevermore or Iced Earth, these guys are for you. Fast, galloping guitars are coupled with amazing power vocals and bitchin' leads. I know Winters Bane used to have Ripper Owens on vocals, but he can't touch Alexander Koch on this album. If you haven't already, buy this cd.

This album couldn't have been a stronger return for Winters Bane. It's been a long time, but Redivivus is a perfect return to form, and a perfect return to scene.

The songs are very catchy and melodic, and yet full of brutal metal riffage, making for a killer combination of American based Power Metal.

The production quality is amazin on this, especially considering it was recorded with no record label money.

If you like Nevermore, Annihilator, Jag Panzer, or any Power/Thrash Bands, you'll LOVE this!

you can also visit the band at [...]

The most recent album from Winters Bane, Redivivus, is powerful from start to finish. The vocals are excellent, the writing is very good and the instrumentals are on par with some of the bigger name bands.

This is traditional metal for those that appreciate such goodness. It is a throwback to the Judas Priest style and that could be one of the reasons I like it so much.

Give it a listen and you will be glad you did.