Rarely has an album release been as eagerly anticipated (and meme-worthy) as WINTERSUN‘s “Time II.” Jari Mäenpää—part-time marketing genius, full-time mastermind behind WINTERSUN—has finally mustered the courage to unleash “Time II” upon the world after a brief, uh, 12-year delay. Yes, you read that right. Twelve years. In that time, we’ve witnessed a new TOOL album, the rise and fall of many a metal band, the farewell tour of SCORPIONS… SCORPIONS going back on tour, and probably a couple of ice ages—at least if you live in Finland— all while waiting for an album that was fully recorded ages ago.
But lo and behold, the stars have aligned, and “Time II” is set to be released on August 30th, 2024, via Nuclear Blast Records. If you’re like most of us, you’ve been refreshing your calendar daily, skeptical but hopeful, wondering if this day would ever come. After countless hoops, hurdles, and delays, Jari has finally delivered what we never thought possible. So mark your calendars—no, really, this time it’s for real!
Alright, let’s dive into this long-awaited record, shall we? “Time II” kicks off with “Fields of Snow,” and let me tell you, it opens with what might be one of the most stunning orchestrations WINTERSUN has ever cooked up. There’s naturally a hint of Japan in there, which was already apparent in “Time I,” and it all starts off so hopeful. You’ll feel the urge to crank up the volume because deep down, you just know what’s coming next is going to be quite monumental. But hold your horses! Before diving headfirst into the melodic death metal abyss, you’ve got to be gently transported to Kyoto—picture cherry blossom trees around you, have some mochi or sake if you must.
And then, bam! When it hits, it really hits with “The Way of Fire,” a track fans have been chomping at the bit for, thanks to a few unofficial bootlegs (shoutout to YouTube for existing). Though the song starts off with some acoustic guitars quite softly, it quickly erupts into pure WINTERSUN riffage—beautiful, elegant, a touch folky, and nothing short of epic. 12 years of waiting—worth it? You bet! This goes on for about 10 minutes, and honestly, trying to figure out what bangs harder in this track is like trying to pick your favorite child. Is it the guitars? The vocals? The lush orchestrations? The blast beats and overall impressive drumming? Or maybe that wizard-level guitar shredding including a jaw-dropping solo? Tough call!
After this hard-hitting whirlwind of a song, we’re given a moment to catch our breath with the slower, mid-paced “One With the Shadows.” It kicks off with some doomy guitar riffs, perfectly paired with Kai Hahto‘s pounding drum rhythms—because nothing says WINTERSUN like the feeling of impending doom wrapped in a warm, fuzzy blanket of riffs. Just when you think you’ve settled into the gloom, a tasty guitar lead sneaks in, adding just the right amount of flavor to make this track quintessentially WINTERSUN. Jari’s gnarly growls soon make their entrance, accompanied by a subtle orchestration melody lurking somewhere beneath the surface, bringing back that Japanese vibe from the opener. The chorus, however, takes a surprise turn with clean vocals—a bit like the kind you’d belt out in a pub with a pint in hand, swaying side to side with some companions.
Then, the album pulls a sneaky one on you. Before you even notice, you’re already knee-deep in “Ominous Clouds,” with ambient sounds rolling over from the end of the previous track. Somewhere between those, a hard rock-infused guitar melody swoops in, set against the backdrop of nature and synths. At the far end of the mix, you can hear it storming and raining—because why not add a little meteorological drama to your listening experience? The guitar lead sucks you right in, and there’s something beautiful about hearing the fingers dance over the strings, with the occasional guitar pick scraping. Now, I doubt this is the track that caused the infamous album delay, but hey, it’s a nice intermezzo.
Before you know it, you’re swept into the starting acoustic guitar of “Storm” in another nicely executed transitionary moment between two tracks—and yes, the rain and thunderstorms are still crashing about in the background. A keyboard melody joins in, adding to the ominous drama, signaling that things are about to get real. And real they do—this song hits sixth gear, almost becoming a storm itself, with lightning-fast drum chops, beautiful choirs, and neo-classical influences galore. It’s as if Vivaldi himself makes an appearance to write a big epic metal version of “The Four Seasons,” with a hint of Wagner’s dark drama. The storm eventually winds down, giving way to ambient sounds that oddly remind me of ‘70s progressive rock band YES—maybe it’s the soothing transitions between tracks, like those in their album “Magnification.” But before you get too comfortable in prog-rock nostalgia, the Japanese-inspired sounds return for a soothing ending to this wild melodeath ride.
And just when you thought you could finally relax, “Silver Leaves” gently steps in, still carrying a bit of that post-storm drizzle in the background. There’s a sense of calm after the storm, with the Japanese vibes continuing through a beautiful three-minute intro, which is more than enough time to wonder, “Wait… we’re down to the last song already?” Jari’s clean vocals eventually start off in a serene manner, delivering lyrics like “Time is flowing so fast and soon there’s nothing left for us, the more we wait, the more we regret, so please don’t wait anymore.” I couldn’t help but chuckle—considering the irony that it took Jari forever to finish this record. But hey, this track doesn’t just offer soothing melodies; it also sneaks in a deeper message—cherish every moment because time flies, or maybe, just maybe, it’s a subtle reminder for Jari to finish that next album a little quicker.
Admittedly, when I first got my hands on this promo, I was like a kid with a new toy—full of excitement and ready to dive in headfirst. I threw on “Time I” and straight after “Time II” with all the enthusiasm of a marathon runner at the starting line, and… well, let’s just say I hit a bit of a wall. “Time II” left me feeling, well… a little underwhelmed at first. Maybe it was because the first half of “Time II” had me hyped up like a sugar rush, and when the calmer second half rolled in, it was like the inevitable crash after having had too much candy. But hey, I’m not the kind of person who writes a review after just one spin. That would be like judging a movie by its trailer. So I gave it another spin. And another. And another. Now, after what feels like a marathon, I’m glad I took the time (pun absolutely intended) to let it sink in. The more I’ve listened, the more I’ve appreciated the nuances in both the music and the lyrics. It’s like the album opened up a new layer each spin, revealing something I hadn’t noticed before.
One thing that left me a bit bummed was the realization that while “Time II” transitions seamlessly from one track to the next, it doesn’t quite have that same magic when you try to listen to “Time I” and “Time II” back-to-back. Naturally, the first thing I did after getting my hands on this promo was to play both albums in sequence, expecting them to blend together like one massive epic. And while it’s not a total disconnect, the shift between the two albums isn’t as smooth as the transitions within “Time II.” You can definitely tell you’ve entered a new chapter rather than continuing the same story (although maybe that was the point). But here’s the kicker—if you finish with “Silver Leaves” and then jump back to “When Time Fades Away” from “Time I,” it actually does works pretty well. It’s almost like Jari secretly wanted us to put these albums on an endless loop, never escaping the flow of time, because, really, why would you want to listen to anything else?
While “Sons of Winter and Stars” still holds the crown as the best track across the entire “Time” saga (at least in my humble opinion), I have a feeling instant fan favorites from “Time II” will be “The Way of Fire,” “Silver Leaves,” and “Storm.” We’ve all seen those infamous screenshots of Jari’s mixes, with more layered tracks than there are stars in the sky. In the end, though, the album sounds massive, miles better than “The Forest Seasons,” and not too convoluted. The drumming on “Time I” had a bit more of that proggy, intricate touch, but this album often opts for a “hit everything as fast as humanly possible” approach, and honestly, it’s jaw-dropping. Kai Hahto is just that good, no question about it. The guitar work on “Time II” is just as great as it was on its predecessor, with a slew of impressive solos and leads. Whether it’s Teemu Mäntysaari or Jari Mäenpää playing, we all know these two are absolute wizards with their instruments. Now, let’s talk about Jukka Koskinen’s bass. There are moments where the orchestrations are so rich that the bass doesn’t quite get its time in the spotlight. However, during tracks like “One With the Shadows,” you can really appreciate its warm, rich tone. As for the vocals, I did feel they could have used a touch more volume in the mix, but it’s nothing too distracting. These minor quirks seem to vary depending on what you’re listening through as well—my headphones definitely gave the bass and vocals a bit more love compared to my regular speakers.
In the end, whether “Time II” was worth the 12-year wait is up to you, the listener, to decide. For me, this album was a thoroughly enjoyable experience. I really like it when an album feels like a cohesive and immersive journey, with each track flowing seamlessly into the next, and “Time II” absolutely delivers on that front. The songwriting aligns with “Time I,” and listening to both parts together is definitely a rewarding experience. With 49 minutes of fresh WINTERSUN to savor, it finally feels like the release we’ve all been waiting for. Now, as for the infamous “Time Package,” your guess is as good as mine. I have no idea if it’s worth your hard-earned cash—I haven’t seen it or touched it.
Finally, I do want to give a shout-out to Jari for all the memes. The 12-year wait wouldn’t have been nearly as entertaining without WINTERSUN fans poking fun and Jari rolling with it by releasing merch goodies like the “Time II” stress ball. If anything, I’m going to miss the meme era. So, thanks, Jari, for the laughs—and for finally delivering “Time II.”
Tracklist
- Fields of Snow
- The Way of Fire
- One With the Shadows
- Ominous Clouds
- Storm
- Silver Leaves
Lineup
Jari Mäenpää | vocals, guitars, computer, programming
Teemu Mäntysaari | guitars
Jukka Koskinen | bass
Kai Hahto | drums
Label
Independent/Nuclear Blast Records
