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It has been a long time since we last heard of Wintersun, with their last album Time 1 in 2012. We’ve been given a great outing this time around with The Forest Seasons, its heavy articulation with orchestrations making this album feel alive and like the beast that it is.

With the amount of teasers that Jari has posted on Facebook, we were all excited to finally hear new material from Wintersun. What we got was something out of the ordinary, a unique masterful album from the mind of Jari and what the guys had to offer us.

The Forest Seasons is based off of Vivaldi's The Four Seasons. Jari wanted to make an metal interpretation of it—which has executed marvellously.

The amount of time and hard work put in this album shows Wintersun is capable of evolving as a band—they shine so much on this record alone, with the orchestration done right as if a live orchestra is playing in the background, adding atmosphere and depth. It’s as if you’re on a journey as a lost soul in the forest wandering around. I have not felt so musically attached since Colors from Between the Buried and Me (which is a perfect album). It has that same level of epicness.

“Awaken the Dark Slumber” is the opening track to this four-piece album, and delivers the first blow of how much Wintersun has developed their production as if I heard this in the actual studio with 3D audio. With this album you hear every single detail imaginable, and that is rare for a metal album.

I really like the dynamics and themes in The Forest Seasons. There is a mysterious aura surrounding the song “The Forest That Weeps,” that sucks you in for the ride to get lost in, with aggressive guitars and killer riffs. The atmosphere sets the perfect mood for this song, as if you were fighting an inner demon or conquering a foe in battle.

“Eternal Darkness” is possibly one of the most evil-sounding tracks I have heard in my existence in terms for music—it still haunts me to this day ever since I first listened to it. Using dark themes of one being absorbed by darkness and unable to continue any longer, the song really affected me with its theme, where there is a struggle within the person who is trying to get out of a nightmare that seems impossible. Very much like Carach Angren’s music, there are elements of black metal that are heavily used in this song which adds to its unique characteristics and dynamics. It is very chilling and the orchestrations are very haunting; it is written from Death's point of view as a mistake in the universe. The last few minutes of the song make you feel like you’re being rushed down by monsters, with an evil diminished chord which is super bad ass. Near the end of the track, at the very last moment, Jari shouts, “THERE IS NO END, THERE IS NO BEGINNING, THERE IS ONLY DARKNESS; I AM ETERNAL, I AM DEATH!” Then, it cuts, giving you absolute goosebumps every time before transitioning to “Loneliness.”

The last track “Loneliness” showcases how the whole album is supposed to represent the four seasons as the other band members, each having their own season. “Loneliness” makes you feel alone, isolated, as if it was cold and you were almost at your last breath living the last minutes of your life; trying to forgive, regretting not being able to do things that should have been done. What was done is what was done, and you decay in the snow. This last song heavily focuses on the last minutes of your life; a slow ballad that showcases the emotional side of Wintersun. This is a great track and the best way to end the album, with epic harmonies and riffs and everything that the band has to offer.

Overall, The Forest Seasons is an adventurous landscape, which is something I have not felt in a VERY long time since Between the Buried and Me's Colors. It has that same epic, adventurous, wanderlust feeling, with heavy orchestrations and dramatic pieces that make you cry. I did quite tear up a bit during “The Forest That Weeps,” “Eternal Darkness” and “Loneliness,” and felt adventurous during “Awaken the Dark Slumber.”

On that note, The Forest Seasons is:

• one of the greatest albums of all time;
• one of the most amazing musical experiences;
• one of the most ground-breaking records that will go down in history.

Score:10/10

Hosted by Patricia Petit Liang

Stories by Karl Knox, Jeremiah Ho and Allison O'Reilly

Produced by Patricia Petit Liang

Hosted by Patricia Petit Liang

Stories by Karl Knox, Jeremiah Ho, Allison O'Reilly and Shelby Thevenot

Produced by Patricia Petit Liang

The 21st edition of the Fantasia Film Festival is back this year from July 13, 2017 until August 2, 2017. The genre-centric film festival is a great way to beat the heat and be entertained at the same time. There are 160 features and 300 shorts from more than 40 countries being presented. Some film titles have already caught my attention—one of them is Brigsby Bear from director Dave McCary, which stars Kyle Moony in a more serious role than the funny man on Saturday Night Live. Some of the big titles that are making their premiere at Fantasia this year would be the adaptation of the French science-fiction bande dessinée Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets directed by Luc Besson, and the action thriller Atomic Blonde directed by David Leitch. 

Above: Atomic Blonde

Every year the thrills and the chills are felt at the festival, and it's not coming from the air conditioning unit. The films will leave you with sleepless nights and goosebumps from those films that deliver a fight high in the horror thriller genre. The first one that I am looking forward to is November from director Rainer Sarnet. Based on an Estonian folklore, it examines all the supernatural elements that exist in the woods near a city that is going to be ravaged by a plague, leading its villagers to commit senseless acts. In that sense, it is reminiscent of Robert Eggers’ The Witch. If you are looking for a horror film about a camping trip that turns out to be a horror film about a group of campers being chased down by hunters, then check out Killing Ground from director Damien Power, who uses performance as the element of horror rather than gore. Spoor from directors Agnieszka Holland & Kasia Adamik is a horror film about a group of poachers and an animal rights activist whose dog has gone missing. The horror begins as the poachers are turning up dead, which could be from someone—or something—hunting the hunters. 

Above: November 

If you like your comedies dark, well look no further than the comedy genre so typical of Fantasia. The Little Hours from director Jeff Baena is a rude and crude comedy about a group of nuns (Aubrey Plaza, Alison Brie) that get into nonconformist antics in a small town that is anything but holy (that is all I can say in a clean description). If you are looking for a science-fiction comedy with heart that will move you from laughter to tears between scenes of suspense, then check out a free screening of Colossal from director Nacho Vigalondo, staring Jason Sudeikis and Anne Hathaway. Mayhem from director Joe Lynch is a dark comedy that blends both Office Space and a Zombie movie. 

Above: The Little Hours

For the action and thrill seekers, here are some films that you should not miss in the genre: The Villainess from director Jung Byung-gil is a vengeance action film with a female heroine, and is built around an opening with a first person point-of-view action sequence and plot twists that will deliver a massive adrenaline rush to the audience. If you’re looking for a dark noir, stylish action thriller that is reminiscent of the works of Nicolas Winding Refn, then check out Darkland from director Fenar Ahmed. Maybe you’re a traditionalist; then be sure not to miss the restored version of James Cameron's classic action film now in 3D, Terminator 2: Judgement Day 3D.

Even though many films fall under the drama genre, there is a something about Fantasia that gives the drama category an element of uniqueness. A Ghost Story from director David Lowery is a metaphysical story about love, life and death from the perspective of a ghost. If you are looking for a high-wire dramatic crime thriller with a stylistic visuals of neon colours and tight close-ups, set to a Tangerine Dream-esque score, then check out Good Time from directors Ben & Joe Safdie.  A Taxi Driver from director Jang Hoon is fact-based dramatic thriller based on the Gwangju revolt from the perspective of a Korean taxi driver that must protect a German journalist covering the event. 

Above: A Ghost Story 

Whoever says that animated films were for kids or documentaries were boring is wrong. Fantasia is once again partnering up with the McCord Museum for My First Fantasia for the younger audience members, which includes a free screening of the much praised animated feature My Life As a Zucchini from director Claude Barras. If you are looking for more of a Quentin Tarantino flair to your animated features, look no further than the stylistic Have A Nice Day from director Liu Jian or the clay-mated gore fest Claymation Horror from Lee Hardcastle. The documentary 78/52 from director Alexandre Philippe is a deconstruction of the famous shower scene in Psycho. Finally, the documentary Liberation Day from director Ugis Olte explores the controversial rock band Laibach, who performed at a concert in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (North Korea) for it's 70th anniversary of Liberation Day. 

Above: My Life As a Zucchini 

For all lovers of genre cinema, the 21st edition of the Fantasia Film Festival has something. The thrills, chills, laughs and emotional deepness will all be felt throughout the selection of films. As always, from the At The Movies (With Iconic Sounds) family, I would like to wish you some good weeks ahead at the movies, bon cinéma et bon Festival Fantasia 2017! 

Remi's Fantasia 2017 full selection list.

Follow Remi's Film Viewings.

Follow Fantasia film reviews as they happen!