Short Reviews [Wings In Motion - 2011 - "Wings In Motion"]

The Greek band WINGS IN MOTION was formed back in 2008, and has been an active live unit ever since, honing their craft and developing their material along the way. Their self-titled EP, issued in 2011, is a teaser for their initial full length album, which is still in the making. Their chosen style is one probably best described as contemporary progressive metal, utilizing growls and croaking vocals and melodic metal vocals on top of a rather varied compositional structure. Machine-gun-like guitar riffs and drums hammering away in staccato aggressive rhythms are supported by a dampened symphonic backdrop, representing one extreme, dampened, slower riff pattern with vocals on top and subtle symphonic backdrops the other, and in the middle majestic guitar and keyboard arrangements that remind me of the most grandiose excursions of a band like Dimmur Borgir - but more refined in both character and arrangements. Still, it's when this band explores their more extreme edges that they are most interesting. When they lower the pace and come closer to regular progressive metal in style and sound they seem to be closer to unfamiliar territories to my ears. Still, a promising EP by a promising band, and, sporting a mix and production, many might envy them. Well worth investigating if you can get hold of it, if you have a taste for progressive metal flirting with symphonic metal and black metal in sound and approach.

Olav M Bjornsen: December 15, 2011