Having reviewed a self-titled EP from this Manchester-based female fronted quintet via Casket back in 2009, I had a good idea what to expect. Now, when a band signs to Casket it always looks like a plea of desperation from bands who know they are pretty rubbish but think having that elusive “signed” tag will help them reach stardom anyway. Yes there are exceptions to the rule; musicians aren’t all the most business-savvy of creatures and they can be forgiven for making poor decisions, but by and large everything they touch is mere bargain-basement fodder to put it kindly. With that in mind, Gone Til Winter escaped from their clutch and released this sophomore album independently.
The First Season has its share of positives as well as quite a few negatives and while I found this an incredibly dull listen on the first few spins, after a while certain tracks did start to grow on me. There are subtle Gothic touches throughout with numbers like ‘Kill Me’ rolling out with a laid back into passage that lends a moody, melancholic air even as it rises to a heavy metallic chorus. Vocalist Talena Cuthbert has a fairly decent voice and sings with power and clarity hitting all the right notes and at times being full of angst. While there is nothing bad about her voice per se, I do find it to be unremarkable and would certainly struggle to pick her out of a crowd of female rock & metal singers.
‘Heat Signal’ makes the most of some really phat bass lines, radiating plenty of groove while the guitars have a vigorous bounce that initially brings to mind that old Mudvayne hit. Yes, this does have a strong nu-metal feel to it; ‘Deep Sleep’ is another one particularly taking me back to that era with heavy-ish riffs sounding straight off a Papa Roach album while Gothic synths sweep overhead. This one actually does have an annoyingly infectious chorus that soon works its way into my head. Overall I could best picture this lot playing a rock/metal club on a Saturday night to a room full of angsty 17 – 20 year olds shuffling around with WKDs in Korn hoodies and skate pants circa 2000. This isn’t a terrible album and I did find there was quite a bit to like about it, but at times the songwriting seems quite stale and while there is obviously a place for them on the toilet circuit I really struggle to imagine them elevating above the rim.
(5/10 Luci Herbert)
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