WINTERTHROUGH

Winterthrough is the 4th studio album by #italian symphonic and RPI prog band #höstsonaten and the second of the Seasoncycle Suite (an opera-like conceptual composition released in four different albums, one for each season of the year), but will be my first review and recommendation, for now!

Entering the Halls of Winter is the opening track and clocks just over 10 minutes, a song I can listen to over and over again. Dreamy atmospheric piano driven prog that slowly builds into an almost classical composition, with instruments entering and leaving, and coming back again, chaotic when it has to be, melodic and catchy on enough spots and very well suited for the coldest of season.

Red Sky blends in with the first hypnotic melody of the album in the form of a clarinet and saxophone discussion, beautiful but briefly interrupted by some narrating vocals in Italian, maybe talking about how crazy the world and its weather are. White Earth follows with acoustic guitars and piano welcoming what seems to be a light and calm snowfall, precise and short before rhythmic sections bring the somewhat atoned, messy and fenomenal track Snowstorm, an escalated version of its predecessor, changing and crazy, obscure and unexpected in behavior, as every storm should be.

Over The Plain becomes the jazzy interlude of the album, additional percussion and magnificent saxo playing are now part of the team rounding up any sharp corner, if there was ever any?before bringing back the listener to the main room again with The Crystal Light where a fat and thick bass (very Waters-like sounding) guides the small instruments to interact in the 2nd hypnotic melody so far. All very well structured and planned, the work of prog genius #fabiozuffanti and company.

Outside starts the short three song run before the epic finale. Drummer #maurizioditollo has the chance to show the listener what a great #wingman he is for Mr. Zuffanti, as well as the virtuoso tandem between guitarist #matteonahum and the keyboards twins #alessandrocorvaglia and #robertovigo in what could be the proggier track. Ruins and Through Winter's Air deliver the icy aftermath after te storm first with a cold and melodic loop and then with the 3rd hypnotic moment in the hands of?I haven't figured out what instrument, but definitely feeling very Celtic or Nordic but no for long.

Rainsuite closes this fabulous album with more than 12 minutes that are divided in 4 parts: i Prelude; ii New Year's Theme; iii Winter's End and iv Celebration/To the Open Fields? a track worth the wait! Incredibly dramatic and enigmatic, almost mysterious but unquestionably grandiose and beautiful, bro gong the 4th and 5th hypnotic melodies, those ear worm melodies impossible to discard or forget, really precious and memorable stuff. All instruments help mine crafting all layers and while doing different stuff they stay together and work as a team following the same path to the goal, the epic achievement. Great album, highly recommended!