The Danish band
Wuthering Heights was founded in the beginning of the nineties and issued some demos under the names
Minas Tirith and
Vergelmir but their first real album
Within didn't come out until 1999. Only musician left from the original lineup is guitarist
Erik Ravn.
Their latest cd,
To Travel For Evermore, is a cd that doesn't quite sound like anything else. It is progressive metal but with a sound that isn't like any other band. They have the time-changes, the great solos, an amazing singer and the tight, tight rythm section. But the sound is their own, which is a very good thing. The best description I can give is progressive metal with folk music inspiration because that's the feeling I get when I listen to this cd. It's not that they have complete breaks with violins and those accordians folk musicians tend to use here in Denmark, no they incorporate it in the guitar-melodies and keyboards. A very nice touch!
Another influence I have found is in the intro to "The Nevershining stones" which has an acoustic guitar rythm that sounds very flamenco-ish. Not very long but it adds a unique touch to the sound. Very nice.
I find that
Wuthering Heights has a good ear for melodies. Both the vocals and all other things in a band capable of playing a melody do so. Especially the guitars and keyboards have a lot of very melodic melodies but they are not just simple melodies; they take some time to pick up. It's a cd that will grow on the listener as she picks up all the small pieces that create this cd.
This is a good and less good thing at the same time. It's definitely too complex for some people. There are so many parts that it takes a lot of time to digest the whole cd. It is, however, not technical metal. It's too melodic for that even though there are parts that are very progressive.
One thing I noticed quite early was the drum sound. Drummer
Morten Sørensen knows what he is doing but the drum sound is a little muddy. I'm no drummer but there is something in the drums that sounds different. Guess that's part of what gives
To Travel For Evermore it's unique sound.
Wuthering Heights has put together a quite a complex little cd here. It's a cd that has both staying and growing power. I still pick up new things when I listen to it. I like how the time-changes feel natural; that's something not all prog metal bands master. I like the folk music inspiration which adds a very nice touch (I don't know if anybody else will hear this in their music but that's the best way I can describe it). I like
Kristian Andrén's voice: he has a very strong, and in some way, raw voice.
For their next cd I think they can get a better production. On
To Travel For Evermore, the sound is good but nothing stellar.
Wuthering Heights definitely has potential to be with the top prog metal bands around so let's hope the record company,
Intromental, realises this. I'd certainly love to see them play live!
I'm giving
To Travel For Evermore a strong 8 since it has really grown on me lately. I'm sure I will put on this cd again and again for a long time. Well done
Wuthering Heights!
Favorite lyric part: "My name is Mankiiiiiiiiiiiiiind" in the end of "A Sinner's Confession".
Written by
Tajs Friday, September 19, 2003
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