Winds
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Formed in 1998 by classically trained pianist Andy Winter, Winds is a snapshot of the Norwegian metal scene. The core of the group consists of Axel Von Blomberg, aka Hellhammer on drums, Carl August Tideman playing guitar, Lars Erik Si handling vocals and Andy Winter writing the lyrics and tapping piano keys. Several of Norway’s top groups list these musician’s names amongst their ranks. Considering the success garnered by many of these bands, each individual’s accomplishments impress more by the fact everyone finds the time to record, and often tour with each band. Arcturus, Khold, Subterranean Masquerade, Mayhem, Thorns, Kovenent, Age of Silence and Dimmu Borgir comprise a list of the main groups, but each member has played or is currently playing in several other bands.
Although each member manages his time with incredible results, their busy schedules, sheer band size (Winter approximates twelve members on their latest album), and distance between each member has strictly marked Winds as a studio group. Andy Winter explains, “With the hectic schedules it comes as a logistics problem. We live in three different countries, so it is hard for us to get together. If we are working on a record, we do get together in the studio. We don’t rehearse as a band. We never have. Because we live so far apart, we would have to set aside a month to do a show. That’s a lot of time, and even more time if we do several shows. The commitment is also a challenge.
Winter further relates, “It would also be hard for us because we can’t perform our sound on stage with only four members. We would need another guitarist and probably a bass player so Lars could focus on the vocals. The timing and arrangements of the vocals would make it difficult for him to play an instrument and sing at the same time. We would also have to have the string players. It would be hard to do a Winds show without the string players. It is hard to put together a show with string players. The string musicians we have play in the Philharmonic Orchestra. They are not amateurs. They expect to be paid. In the band alone, we have twelve people. That would be a hard thing to put together.”
Having a large mass of musicians is a trademark of Winds’ sound. Their recent release, “Prominence and Demise” features a choir of voices and a small string section. The orchestral players are guest for hire. All their albums utilize the talents of different guests, but the band itself has always included the same four musicians. The inclusion of these musicians is of grave importance to Winter.
“The band is those four people. The band is no more if it is not those four people. The band has always had that lineup and will always have that lineup. It is very important for our sound due to the individual musicianship and character. It would make a huge difference for us if we replaced somewhat because it wouldn’t be the same band.”
The inclusion of so many players of such high demand results in a lengthy recording process. Winter states, “It sometimes takes a long time to do anything because scheduling is a challenge. The amount of time it takes to make a Winds record can be a bump in the road, but the time it takes to make a Winds record, is the time it takes. We don’t rush that process anymore. We did the second album, back to back, in about a month. That was extremely successful. I think it is better to do one thing at a time to get a good result. If we are going to do the vocals, we book the time in the studio to track the vocals, the main vocals.”
“For instance, I would go to the studio with Lars and he would do his vocal parts for one song and nothing more,” continues Winter. “We also have days set aside for recording the guest vocals or the strings. We focus just on one part of the recording on those days. We don’t take the band into the studio to record something like the bass tracks live. That’s a cool approach for some types of music, but it doesn’t really work for what we do. We need to focus more on individual things to make sure it turns out perfectly.”
“Prominence and Demise” marks Winds’ fourth album in a discography of highly composed, neo-classical metal. The band has exceedingly become more progressive with each release. Winds retain all these elements, but Winter perceives “Prominence and Demise” as their most metal recording. Winter explains, “There are some key words that have popped out in my mind about the sound. It is more edgy and aggressive. Lyrically, it is more intellectual and less personal. The album has more of a modern sound than the other releases. It is definitely more edgy and in your face. This record is heavier sounding and more technical than the previous ones. We’ve always made a point of evolving the music, so we don’t make the same thing over and over.”
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