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AFTER THE WINTER

Hibernal

Post Rock/Math rock


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Hibernal After The Winter album cover
3.99 | 44 ratings | 3 reviews | 23% 5 stars

Excellent addition to any
prog rock music collection

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Studio Album, released in 2015

Songs / Tracks Listing

1. After The Winter (7:16)
2. Homecoming (4:30)
3. The Time Has Come (7:19)
4. All That's Been Lost (3:11)
5. Worn (5:25)
6. A View Of The World (3:48)
7. Displacement Part I (2:34)
8. Displacement Part II (3:44)
9. The Silent Earth (8:03)
10. Pathways (5:06)
11. Beginnings (5:55)

Total time 56:51

Line-up / Musicians

- Mark Healy / composer, performer, mixing

With:
- Rowan Salt / bass, mastering
- Brad Everett / voice of Brant
- Faleena Hopkins / voice of Arsha


Note : The actual instrumentation could not be fully confirmed at this moment

Releases information

Adapted from the novel "After the Winter (The Silent Earth, Book 1)" by Mark R. Healy

Artwork: Mark Healy

CD self-released (2015, Australia)

Thanks to mbzr48 for the addition
and to Quinino for the last updates
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HIBERNAL After The Winter ratings distribution


3.99
(44 ratings)
Essential: a masterpiece of progressive rock music(23%)
23%
Excellent addition to any prog rock music collection(37%)
37%
Good, but non-essential (21%)
21%
Collectors/fans only (12%)
12%
Poor. Only for completionists (7%)
7%

HIBERNAL After The Winter reviews


Showing all collaborators reviews and last reviews preview | Show all reviews/ratings

Collaborators/Experts Reviews

Review by Second Life Syndrome
PROG REVIEWER
4 stars Back in 2013, I ran into Mark Healy over at progarchives.com. He was busy creating his own unique take on progressive rock: an audio theater experience set against the backdrop of progressive post-rock. Needless to say, "The Machine" floored me. The next year, "Replacements", his second album, made me fall in love even further. And now, after authoring a trilogy of novels, Mark has released his third album, "After the Winter". Does it live up to the rest of his discography?

Mark is a genius. His love for sci-fi, especially Blade Runner, is apparent. Like me, he is fascinated with the idea of sentient androids: the delicate image of human life intertwined with the raw mechanics of a machine. "After the Winter" is no different, though the setting has changed somewhat. Instead of the bustling future city of the first two albums, this record takes place in a post-apocalyptic setting where all humans have eradicated from the earth. The story follows a pair of androids who were created to be carriers for the souls and minds of human beings: a way of safeguarding humanity until the world would be more hospitable. This pair, Brant and Arsha, is searching for the key to rejuvenating their real bodies, obviously with hopes of beginning something new. In the course of events; failed ventures, surprising twists, and emotional moments abound. Mark has certainly done an amazing job of sucking his listeners in once again.

On the music side of things, I find that the tracks are a bit more subdued. In fact, I feel like there are moments with no music at all, and the result is a mixed bag. Sometimes, it heightens the drama, and other times I feel that it creates a vacuum that needs filled. Mark does an awesome job on guitars once again. This time around, I feel like his writing skills and especially his leads are stronger and have more presence. The solos present are extremely good, too. One of the best representations of this is "Worn", a really special track both lyrically and musically. Rowan Salt on bass also does an even better job than last time, as his presence and real impact on the song structures cannot be ignored. Ethereal, satisfying, and familiar, "After the Winter" might be Hibernal's strongest outing on the musical front overall.

There is something, however, that has been nagging me about this album. As good as it is, I just can't seem to like the voice acting for Brant's character done by Brad Everett. One of the hallmarks of the previous two albums was the unique voice cast, especially the main character. They were perfectly directed and just very easy to relate to as I listened. Brad, however, has a very generic slant to his voice that makes me wince. This is too bad, as Arsha's actress, played by Hibernal alumni Faleena Hopkins, is emotionally pungent and spot on with her delivery. Ultimately, Brad's performance has lessened my enjoyment of what is otherwise another perfect entry from Hibernal.

I must mention my love for the two track song "Displacement". Within this track, the greatest mysteries are revealed and possibly the best instrumental appears. In addition, I am in love with the ending of the album (for reasons that will probably wait until a spotlight on The PROG Mind). It is filled with something very different from the last two albums: hope and rejuvenation of spirit. Indeed, "After the Winter" has a different sort of progression and tone, and so I can't wait to see where Mark will take this story next. Cheers, Mark. You have a fan for life.

Originally written for progulator.com

Review by kev rowland
SPECIAL COLLABORATOR Honorary Reviewer
5 stars The synopsis of this album is "A man who transfers his thoughts and memories to a synthetic body in order to survive an apocalypse seeks to return to his human form". Yes, yet again we are in the world of Mark Healy, which is bleak and post-nuclear war, some time in the future. Rowan Salt has again joined Mark by providing bass, and it is interesting to note that Faleena Hopkins, who portrayed Sabel in 'Replacements' is back again, this time as Arsha ? the first time that one of the actors has returned. There are only two characters in this story, down from four last time and three in the debut, but in many ways, this is possibly the most compelling to date.

When listening to Mark's cinematic visions I have sometimes wondered which author he most reminds me of, but there was no debate on this one, as to me this is Stephen King and the wastelands encountered on the journey to The Tower. But, as always with Mark, there is quite a twist. If we consider this to be the third in a loosely connected trilogy taken from the same world view, albeit at different times, this is the one furthest in the future, and the one that seems to have the most music within it. There are few words in the script outside of the conversations that take place between the Arsha and the lead character, Brant, and his post rock Pink Floyd inspired soundscapes perfectly capture the mood.

This is the perfect combination of two quite different art forms, that of music and of a script spoken by professional actors, so that one enhances the other to make something so compelling that once it has started, nothing else exists. At the end of this album I felt it was more complete than 'Replacements', one where this particular chapter had come to a logical conclusion. There were questions I wanted answered, and I did want to know what happened in the future, but I also felt that the story was concise and ended in a better fashion than the last one. Compelling, enthralling, imaginative and exciting, Hibernal.

Latest members reviews

4 stars As far as I'm aware, Hibernal is unique. What are we listening to here? An album? A play? An audio book? I think the best description I have heard to date is an audio movie. Stick the headphones on, shut your eyes, immerse yourself in sound, and let your mind fill in the visuals. I love it!! ... (read more)

Report this review (#1406696) | Posted by saulman | Thursday, April 30, 2015 | Review Permanlink

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