THIS WINTER MACHINE

Although this is a band, and not a project, these guys have had some issue with continuity of line-up over the years, and this has continued through to their fourth album. After 2019's excellent 'A Tower of Clocks' there was a mass departure, leaving singer Al Winter to bring together a brand-new group plus guests for 2021's 'Kites', which for some strange reason I never heard. Now we are back with their most recent release, and this time apart from Al the only musicians retained are the rhythm section of Dave Close (bass) and Alan Wilson (drums) with new members in the shape of John Cook (guitars) and Leigh Perkins (keyboards, whistles, backing vocals) plus two guests contributing on one track each.

Given the turmoil in the ranks one might expect the quality to suffer, but that is not the case as yet again we have a really enjoyable neo prog release which has a lot going for it the first time it is played, with hidden depths becoming apparent after repeated plays. It is a concept release, based on dystopia and steampunk, and Al obviously has a very clear idea on what he wants to achieve, even stepping aside on "Change" for Andre Saint to guest on lead vocals on the heavier track as it is obviously what he felt that song needed. This is very much neo prog, but it has been polished and crafted for the modern age so there are elements of symphonic and even crossover in what is being presented, which means that people who are fans of commercial melodic rock will also get a lot out of this.

The last time I reviewed This Winter Machine I said they contained obvious elements of early Pallas and Marillion, combined with some Pendragon, Galahad and Grey Lady Down, and I still believe that is the case even with a total change in personnel apart from Al, yet here it is polished to a high degree. Hopefully they will find more continuity in the future, as I note they are again looking for a guitarist, as if they can deliver music as strong as this with the line-up in turmoil what is going to happen when they are stable? Yet another solidly enjoyable release.

This is the third album from This Winter Machine (although first that I've heard), and I just love their overall sound and style. They are driven by a pop-rock feel and approach, but nonetheless definitely progressive rock. From the UK, with vocalist Al Winter as the heart of the band amidst some changing personnel, and getting some key contributions from guest musicians, including Mick Abrahams (Wishbone Ash), Peter Jones (Tiger Moth Tales), and Eric Bouillette (Nine Skies). Great melodic Prog, with nods towards more straight-forward rock, pop, and power pop. Very impressive and great fun. Very interested in hearing more from this band and seeing what they do next. 4 stars.

I was reluctant to look into this band after hearing a couple of tunes and doing my diligent research... after all the singer is the only constant member over the past 6 years, and sees fit to include his name in the bands title? Red flags. But I took the plunge, and my fears of a dominant alpha male directing all his musos so as to reflect his talent is clearly misplaced. In fact, quite the opposite; John Cook (guitar) and Leigh Perkins (keyboards) are given many great moments to shine, which is remarkable as they are both fronting for Al Winters band for the first time. The album starts with atmospheric opener The River Pts 1 and 2, which give an early indication of what Cook and Perkins (equally adept with synth and piano) can provide. A highlight for the duo is their co-written instrumental Reflection, including a rollicking piano and guitar section which reminds of a long ago Pablo Cruise instrumental. Winters voice is decent, without being a dominant feature; best when given room to breathe in tracks such as the Marillionesque Lights and the album highlight Nothing Lasts Forever. This track has a gorgeous melancholic opening half with interludes from a pan pipe (moog?) and then it's interrupted by a soaring synth followed by a blistering guitar solo, before returning to the original vibe. Love this. This album demands more of my attention, at this stage I have treated it as a group of songs as opposed to a complete opus that all concept albums deserve. I need to check out the story and this albums lyrics, I am sure it will assist my appreciation even further, particularly the final track which I feel is a let down sonically, but accept it would be more powerful if taken in context of the unfolding tale that is portrayed.

Al Winter and This Winter Machine return for their 4th album with this ambitious and masterful concept album showing great imagination and musical skill. Featuring a compelling narrative mixing sci-fi, steam punk, comics, and commentary on modern society, and dealing with human cloning and a repressive society, the album moves from song to song telling the story, but also providing a wonderful tapestry of melodic prog, from gentle ballads, beautiful melodies and vocals to more rockin' prog instrumental flourishes, culminating in the dramatic closing mini-epic Falling through a Hole in the Sky. Highlights include The River, parts 1 and 2, Solitude Silence and Steam, Final Goodbye, Changes, and the beautiful Nothing Lasts Forever. Overall, a fantastic album of melodic progressive rock, beautiful, powerful, emotional, thrilling. 4.5 stars.

Back in 2017, a snowblower cleared off the dense white powder from the Neo-Prog highway and introduced a modern twist to the genre with a clever debut album "The Man Who Never Was", fronted by a talented lead vocalist in Al Winter. Incorporating all the traditional IQ/Marillion characteristics with a sharper edged instrumental attack, all well blended within smartly created songs, it was certainly a most welcome surprise. The 2019 follow-up "A Tower of Clocks" was equally a terrific offering, though it did reveal a penchant for retooling of personnel which continued with "Kites" (in 2021). It seems that every 2 years, TWM needs to redefine its components with new innovations, much like a Formula One racing team constantly searching for a higher level of performance. Having retained the rhythm section of Dave Close and Alan Wilson surely settled all the suspension issues once and for all, as the only alterations this time was the incorporation of guitarist John Cook (tires) and keyboardist Leigh Perkins (chassis), assuredly resulting in better road adherence and improved aerodynamics. The 2023 season introduces the shiny new prototype "The Clockwork Man" and it's a chequered flag, definitely podium, anthems and champagne baths galore!

As the green light flickers to launch the race, the revert to an epic ignition (just like on that debut album) is a welcome evidence that this turbocharged engine is 'cooking' on all cylinders with the highly symphonic roar of "the River", a nearly 12 minute masterpiece that sets the thrill factor, as the razor sharp guitar slices through the fog of impending sizzle, the sonic acceleration determined and focused, whirlwind keyboard fluttering menacingly, until the mid-section where Leigh presents a melancholic piano etude, as Al hushes with a silent lucidity , the two combining to elevate a glorious melody to heavenly heights. Guest guitarist Ade Fisher (Stuckfish) decorates further the anthemic outcome. Great opener. Without changing gear, around the bend comes another extended piece, "Solitude, Silence and Steam", once again showcasing the Cook and Perkins teamwork, as their commonly woven theme is relentlessly pursued, on the verge of hypnotic. This sense of floating mystery is best expressed by Al's melancholy tone, burst by a needle-sharp axe solo, needless to say to the point! The short companion piece, "Final Goodbye" has a bass lead that adds a rabid quality to the perpetually honed guitar riff, a perfect change of pace.

Speaking of "Change", featuring guest voice Andre Saint, the mood has now unquestionably shifted to an altogether heavier octane, overheating carburetors ablaze, shuffling gears galore, as Perkins introduces some heavy mellotron gales, slivers of whistling synths not withstanding into the bombastic mix. Intense, fiery and at times, sombre, the exalted thrill is there. The chorus is simple and darn effective as its sticks to the nodes like ill tempered oil. Glittering piano tones resonate with finesse on the electric instrumental "Reflections", rising in tandem with the raunchy guitar to provide a dual energy of power and melody, proving how this duo is clearly in touch with each other as well as with the expected mood. John Cook caresses his fretboard with unreal skill, both highly technical as well as deeply emotive.

A restless pant opens "Nothing Lasts Forever", leaving the microphone in the hands of band leader Winter, whose balladeer talent is clear, singing a simple and genuine song, with a pastoral flute acting as a pied piper leading the flock into a synthesizer sound garden, obligatory axe solo weaving around the massive mellotron orchestrations, voyaging from a tune to an anthem and back to a song. Shining a bright voice on "The Light", a shimmering piano in tow, Winter shows off his vocal abilities in a convincing fashion, weaving an honest story. Celestial orchestration suffice. The curtain comes down on the pleading "Falling Through a Hole in the Sky", a fitting finale lush with fatality and a certain despondence that stamps this latest venture with undeniable entertaining credentials. Expertly crafted to gradually raise the depth, tempo, and pace to a vortex, where dramatic interplay has created a crest of sound and melody that verges on explosive, all instrumentalists pitching in to raise the fever even higher. A blitzing guitar solo for the ages, kills off this tremendous track with a sonic dagger through the heart.

BTW, there is a concept theme involved here, based on a comic book by Andrew Richmond, about a dystopian society, a common theme lately in the arts, perhaps only a few weeks away from reality, by all accounts. Also Al (is for Albert and not artificial Intelligence) and Winter is a human being, if you are wondering.

4.5 frosty robots

This is original to say the least! The new and fourth album from THIS WINTER MACHINE is inspired by a "comic" by Andrew RICHMOND, writer, illustrator and designer (among others) whose illustrations you will find in the album booklet; musically it is a single fifty minute piece divided into eight parts, so concept once again, the main subject is human cloning from egg to adult at accelerated speed where the female does not exist and where the clones are only present for low and dangerous tasks, fueled as they are by pills which only aim to keep them docile and without any ambition, an existential program of relative complexity that I can be discovered when reading the comic strip.

All that remains with Al WINTER is the rhythm section from the previous disc, the two soloists are therefore newcomers, a "bad" habit of the omnipotent leader of changing musical companions at every moment...like Ian JONES of KARNATAKA who comes out with tangible skills and we'll see that further, the same goes for Al on this album.

The least pleasant portion of a record which is overall "Change" may be because it is sung with two voices, the chorus by Al WINTER and the verses by a guest André SAINT, regular vocalist of the melodic rock formation with progressive connotations GRACE AND FIRE (very popular by the way), it's like a hair in the soup, we were on a song/music module with beautiful continuity and then, suddenly we branch off towards five minutes forty-one which breaks the atmosphere...destabilizing!

On the rest of the album, the complementarity of the musicians is significant. The new six string players John COOK stands out particularly on the introductory "The River" (the cavalcade on the neck is remarkable and noticed) on " Nothing Lasts Forever" (the album's ballad of incredible melancholy) and the terminal "Hole in the Sky" where he literally supports the piece with an incisive guitar, nervous and disheveled but which knows how to remain melodic, the final solo is to be included in the heritage of progressive music.

Keyboardist Leigh PERKINS is brilliant on "The Light" (on piano), on the introductory "The River" where he positively supports his fellow guitarist with keyboard motifs that are always in place although quite discreet, a pretty sarabande pianistic at 6:40 softens the piece (energetic until then), concretely a little-known instrumentalist but of real effectiveness.

"The Clockwork Man" is certainly a neo progressive record but a modern neo progressive driven by a real story (complex I grant you), created and performed by surprising and talented musicians, which places it among the notable works of the genre to through the decades, nothing less, the equal of THIS WINTER MACHINE's first disc, emblematic for the future.

The accessibility of neo-prog with some of the complexity of symphonic prog. A real delight to listen to. Lots of keyboards, which seem even more prominent than the vocals here. The vocals are fine, if a bit nasally. The music is very nicely layered, with relatively simple parts and some complex parts. The complex parts are prog at its very best-- lots of interesting things going on without too much dissonance. Every listen reveals something new.

Only five tracks, but in true progressive rock fashion, most of them are quite long. The only song of normal length is an instrumental. Production values are fine, although not as polished as the music deserves. The liner notes reference "nothing can survive in a vacuum" and "we turn the page," a clear reference to Rush's "Turn the Page," and it's obvious that '80s Rush was a big influence on the band.

Highly recommended, especially for neo-prog fans. 4.5 stars.

An obscure recommendation that kept showing up when I was looking for good Prog albums several years ago. The front cover reminded me of Doctor Who for some reason. It had really good reviews and because of the front cover and the constant recommendation I decided to give this one a try. So glad I did!

Not many albums this melodic that have this much depth and sound like a different album every time you listen to it the first couple dozen times. The first listen impressed me quite a bit. Gave it another listen and another. How is this happening? After a few listens on the internet videos I just had to buy this album. Repeated listens and never getting bored as every listen was a new experience.

From the beginning piano solo from the title track at the beginning of the album to the hypnotic guitar solo at the ending track of Fractured this album has you glued to your seat from beginning to end. The Wheel is a very adventurous track and Lullaby a good Instrumental Rock track. After Tomorrow Comes starts with another piano solo. The arrangements and depth of this album are loaded much like my favorite albums from the 70's I have listened to dozens of times.

Yet nothing about this album really stands out as superb there is enough going on to make you come back for more. It's the only album that really has interested me from this band. Not many albums give me the experience this one did. Hope everyone who listens to this album has enjoyed it the same way I did.

Kites is the third (and last to date) studio album by Uk's Neo Prog act This Winter Machine, and is my point of entry to their brief but quite strong catalog. TWM is the brainchild from singer and songwriter Al Winter and the lineup for this specific album is as follows:

@alwinter on vocals

@daveclose on bass & vocals

@simondvali on guitars & vocals

@dombennison on guitars & vocals

@alanwilson on drums

Le jour d'avant (the previous day or the day before) opens the album in a very pastoral and melodic way, pianos and guitars leading the way. It then jumps to The Storm (part I) and then The Storm (part II), both immense and powerful, everything I hear here I like, all the influences are there from both the 70's and 80's, very well adapted and executed in their own manner. The guitar work throughout the whole album is increíble, supported by a tight and precise rhythm section. The contribution by @patsanders (Drifting song) is very notable too, a great addition to the album's sound and atmosphere.

Limited and it's fat bass opening serves as an instrumental intermission, kind of jazzy, kind of funky and even spacey before the great song tandem of Pleasure & Purpose and This Heart's Alive kicks in and delivers the immediate hooks to leave the footprint on the listeners brain, smart and melodic, with familiar sounding harmonies that is inevitable not to look at and embrace. Great album moment.

Another intermission with Whirlpool, a great rocker and kind of symphonic instrumental before the mellower part of the album arrives.

Broken and Sometimes were not my fav songs at first, they're different and sound a little more poppy, however they do grow with every listen once the rest has been digested and the mind starts looking for additional memorable fractions in the less memorable tracks and surprise! the hooks are also there, just behind a couple of distractive commercial layers; peal them and voila!

The title track Kites closes the album and to be honest I'm not crazy about the initial vocal intervention, sounds forced and garage-like, but that sensation will only last about 5secs and then the masterpiece is revealed, not a virtuoso type of masterpiece, but a well crafted heavy pop prog song that will lift you up from your chair and will make you dance, is that good! I really like this album, have heard it quite a few times already and like it each time a little more. Hope you enjoy it too!

Kites is the long-awaited third album from Yorkshire's melodic progressive rock band This Winter Machine. Delayed by both the extended COVID lockdown period and significant line-up changes, arising from the frustrations of not being able to build upon the momentum gained from their first two albums, The Man Who Never Was (2017) and A Tower of Clocks (2019). It is great to report that Al Winter and the band have 'pulled the rabbit out of the hat' and produced a vibrant, fresh and emotionally moving album of the highest quality.

Many musicians and bands have been deeply affected by the pandemic of the last 18 months, and This Winter Machine could argue that they have been affected more than most. The early promise and acclaim of the debut had been successfully followed up by their impressive sophomore release. By the start of 2020 the Kites title and artwork had already been agreed upon, and initial recording sessions had taken place, with many tracks nearing completion. Then everything just ground to a halt for all of us, resulting in a period of great frustration, changing plans and, most significantly, the departure of band members for a host of reasons, both personal and artistic. Al recruited new musicians and pushed ahead with Kites, as the others formed a new band called Ghost of the Machine.

Writing, rehearsing and recording all progressed at an accelerated rate, whilst observing social distancing guidelines, and at last, here in Autumn 2021, this labour of love can finally be released to both their devoted fanbase and the general rock and prog community. It has certainly seemed like a very long wait for many, but it looks like their patience has been fully rewarded.

Le Jour D'avant ('the previous day') is the short instrumental that starts the album. A lovely piano introduction, by the album's chief guest keyboardist, Pat Ganger-Sanders, mingles with subtle acoustic guitar from Dom Bennison and some unsettling keyboard effects, creating a prelude of quiet unease before we encounter ominous, barked orders to "stay inside of your home" at the start of two-part epic The Storm. Pounding drums from Alan Wilson and a rumbling bass line from Dave Close build to a powerful guitar-led riff. Al's vocals propel the song over eerie keyboard chords and there is a Dream Theater feel for the first half before a change in pace and tone is signalled by a soaring, expressive solo by guest guitarist Mark Abrahams (of Wishbone Ash), swirling keyboards heralding a less tense, more contemplative feel to Part 1. Although there is a clear link to the trauma of lockdown, Al states the song is also about "any form of entrapment or being bogged down or trapped in your own home".

Part 2 begins in a lighter vein, with acoustic guitar by Simon D'Vali over the sound of a babbling brook and reflective lyrics of calm, such as "feeling the sunlight warm my face". Al adds, "It harks back to when I was a child and would go to a field to watch my school play cricket. But really it was just to be able to lie in the grass and enjoy the peace and quiet. That lovely kind of release and feeling of solitude, even when there were other people around." Although the more urgent instrumental drive of Part 1 does return, with Dom delivering a well-pitched, chiming guitar solo, there is a more cathartic feel, as if the storm has passed to some extent. Limited is another short instrumental that seems to act as a coda to these earlier tracks. Driven by Alan's simple drums and Dave's dominant bass, there is an ethereal dreaminess to the intertwining of the keyboards and guitars, and a sense of resolution of sorts.

Pleasure & Purpose begins with background crowd noises and then a slow, languid rhythm behind simple guitar notes as Al's sad, thoughtful and measured vocals slowly lead the song into more depth and power. In many ways it is a typical This Winter Machine slow burner and is very much the heart of the album, growing with repeat listens. "It's all about lack of communication," explains Al, "and the dissolution of a relationship due mostly to misunderstanding and an inability to communicate properly." Simon delivers a stunning guitar solo that lifts the music to stratospheric levels, with the baton then handed to Dom to play his engaging solo over a vibrant keyboard-orientated soundscape, before reaching a climax and then gently easing by the end.

This Heart's Alive dates from the time of the second album and is also another track that starts gently and then gradually builds in intensity over time. Lyrically, it is about not understanding the dishonesty inherent in some relationships. It begins with chiming, repeated guitar patterns and some lovely keyboards from Pat, before acoustic guitar accompanies plaintive, yearning vocals from Al, through to a memorable chorus over a martial drum beat, which has a touch of Mostly Autumn to my ears. A short burst of harmonised vocals holds the atmosphere momentarily before the instrumentation returns one last time.

Another short instrumental, Whirlpool, raises the tempo considerably, and packs a lot of powerful melodic rock into its two-minute duration. Dynamic guitar, and retro keyboards propel the track swiftly, with lashings of Uriah Heep/Deep Purple-style Hammond organ throughout. By contrast, Broken starts atmospherically before some lovely piano from former keyboardist Mark Numan serenely introduces Al's vocals ? which are both sensitive and powerful as he reflects on "how a poor unbringing can affect adult relationships and how some people don't move on emotionally from such a childhood." Similar in style to In Amber from the last album, but here the music builds up layer by layer to a more powerful climax and provides an impressive finish for this thoughtful power ballad. The lyric "You see the world the same as me" deliberately echoes the melancholic Come Together in the Morning by Free and it is another nice touch from Al.

Peter Jones (of Tiger Moth Tales and Camel) is guest vocalist on the enjoyable and comforting Sometimes which creates a lighter, upbeat counterpoint to the darkness of the previous track. A mid-tempo rhythm with acoustic guitar and melodic guest keyboard touches from Reuben Jones enhance the accessible chorus and the brief inclusion of some lovely violin by Eric Bouillette Perso (of Nine Skies and The Room) adds that certain 'je ne sais quoi.' It all turns out to be a pleasant bonus and the 'Mothster' is on top form as always.

Kites, the longest individual track at over seven minutes, ends proceedings with a freshness and lightness of touch that should go down well at live concerts to come. Guitars and keyboards in tandem produce a generous slab of melodic rock, as Al delivers his love letter to the '80s and the vibrancy and freedom of youth. Yet another solo from Dom and an uplifting finish ? with references to Queen and Rush amongst the lyrics (see if you can spot the Radio Ga Ga reference!). "The name Kites comes from the idea that we are all too ready to grow up in our lives," states Al. "But I feel it is sometimes better to allow yourself to be blown around by the wind, because you've always got that string anchored to the ground. We sometimes fight being buffeted, but we shouldn't, because 'someday we'll be kites for the last time.' Sometimes we look back and realise how good we had it in the past when we were younger, and they were special times we can remember. It's so important not to be grounded and lose that magic." It's a strong and optimistic finale and the subtle inclusion of some spoken lines from the Edison phonograph advertisement of 1906 is such a nice touch to end the album with.

Kites makes an immediate impression, but more importantly it grows and develops further with repeated listens. Better sequenced than A Tower of Clocks, and more diverse than The Man Who Never Was, Kites sees a revitalised band successfully walking the line between maintaining their signature sound, but also not being afraid to develop as musicians and try out new things. It is evolution rather than revolution and it will hopefully both consolidate their existing fanbase and draw in new listeners in the months to come. Al and the band have dared to let out their kite strings and allowed their ambitions to fly high in stormy weather. I think they will be staying up there for some time to come!

(from THE PROGRESSIVE ASPECT)