Review Summary: This should finally cement Vintersea’s place as one of the more exciting and innovative bands currently experimenting with what is possible within prog and black metal.
Vintersea's musical range is impressive, covering everything from black metal and melodic death metal to atmospheric progressive rock (and even the occasional Spanish-influenced interlude or saxophone-led solo). However, it's their Malaysian-born vocalist, Avienne, who consistently stands out as their biggest asset. Her ability to deliver a variety of harsh vocal styles and soaring clean singing has always set the band apart. Despite the abundance of talent in the band, however, it has never felt like they were fully reaching their potential, particularly when it came to utilizing Avienne's impressive vocal versatility. On
Woven into Ashes, though, there is finally a noticeable shift in this regard.
Although the band has always been skilled at highlighting their individual talents and versatility, they have struggled at times to create consistent hooks and direction; that isn’t the case here. This time they have managed to establish a listening experience that is both dynamic and diverse, while also feeling deliberate and memorable. Even the album’s heavier tracks feature strong vocal hooks in addition to memorable riffs and guitar melodies. Despite a stronger emphasis on cohesion and memorability, though, the top-notch musicianship is still prominently displayed. Riley Nix and Jorma Spaziano trade searing solos and intricate harmonies on guitar, Karl Whinnery on bass and Jeremy Spencer on drums provide an energetic and rock-solid rhythm section, and Avienne showcases her exceptional versatility delivering soaring melodies that effortlessly transition into aggressive screams and growls.
Avienne has always been Vintersea’s greatest asset, and her performance here is no exception. Throughout
Woven Into Ashes her powerful and emotive vocals add an extra layer of depth and emotion to an already dense musical soundscape. Her clean singing on "Lonesome Tide" and "No Tomorrow" is particularly impressive, showcasing her remarkable range and control. Not surprisingly, these tracks are two of the best songs on the album. In fact, Avienne’s performance throughout the entirety of
Woven Into Ashes is nothing short of exceptional, and should finally start to get her mentioned alongside other dynamic vocalists such as Courtney LaPlante, Alissa White-Gluz, and Tatiana Shmayluk. Of course, it shouldn’t be forgotten that without the instrumental prowess of the rest of the band, crafting intricate and powerful arrangements that complement her vocals, we might be having an entirely different conversation.
On
Woven into Ashes, Vintersea finally seems to be capitalizing on their potential. Avienne's vocal range is given more prominence, and the band's musical versatility is on full display. From the opening moments of "Unveiling Light", to the closing moments of “No Tomorrow”,
Woven into Ashes is a solid display of musical creativity and technical proficiency. With its impressive musicianship, diverse range of sounds, and emotionally charged performances, this album should cement Vintersea’s place as one of the more exciting and innovative bands currently experimenting with what is possible within prog and black metal while still being one of the most accessible. While I still believe the best is yet to come,
Woven Into Ashes is a really strong album that highlights Vintersea's potential and leaves me excited for what they will do next.
