I bet Queensryche and Dream Theatre wish they could charge commission from every band they have influenced, that would be worth a bob or two. The above-mentioned bands virtually started the “prog-metal” scene and here  we have the latest addition to the scene, Winterstrain. Well I say latest but, according to the liner notes, that band have been going in one form or another for the last 16 years. However after all this time, and with Shy's Tony Mills on board both as a representative and providing backing vocals the band have just picked up a deal with England’s very own Z-records. As well as the Queensryche and Dream Theatre influences, it is also possible to detect Rush, Fates Warning, Dead Soul and, perhaps surprisingly, Magnum touches to Winterstrain's sound as vocalist G.H. Friedheim sounds like a Cross-between Bob Catley and Tony Mills. 

'Return To The Mirror' opens in the style with which it means go  with 'Another Time' complete with big guitar riff,  great keyboard backing and vocals soaring over the top of the musical mayhem. The song is surprisingly catchy but not as catchy as track 2, 'Another Day', which is a great up-tempo rocker with a very familiar riff.  

'The Family Secret' is a great piece of prog-metal and the vocals have that  very Queensryche sound, but the riff is much more Dream Theatre in style that is until the almost melodic rock of the middle section. 'Leon' is based around the classic film of the same name, which stared a very young Natalie Portman. The track itself  is acoustic lead ballad style piece with great guitar work from Arnulf Øvre. Next up is 'Rumours At Speak' and at 7:01 minutes is one of the longest tracks on the album with its classic prog keyboard driven opening and the it goes all Fates Warning/Dream Theatre  with yet more definite Queensryche influences. 

'Mountain Inside The Stone' Is another epic of a track in style that builds and builds and builds and then carries on building whilst 'In Your World' is one of the more straight head tracks on the album and is very similar to Mill's post Shy outfit Siam in style. 'Broken Defence'  is a laid back ballad, type track that is reminiscent in style to 'The Lady Wore Black/Killing Words' as performed on MTV unplugged by who know who, no not lord Voldemorte silly. 

 'A Battle' is aptly name as the guitars and keyboards trade blows out thought the track and with the bass joining in for good measure the songs contains  a myriad of mood changes and time changes, classy. The album then ends in full on prog mode with the 9:07 minute long Sail that again builds up and up before finally going all acoustic. 

As can seen above the bands influences are fairly obvious, but this is not detrimental to the finished product. IMO Queensryche lost the plot after Chris De Garmo left Dream Theatre have loads of fans but keep changing direction so I think that Winterstrain have landed a winning formula by combining the two elements in their sound, along with their other influences, as the songs are familiar enough on first listening to drag the listener in and reveal more varied and different flavours with each playing. Certainly a album that leaves this reviewer looking forward to finding out how the band develop into album number two.

 Let us know your views on 'Return To The Mirror'

Track List

Another Time:
Another Day:
The family Secret:
Leon:
Rumours At Speak:
Mountain Inside The Stone:
In Your World
Broken Defence
A Battle
Sail

Line Up

Arnulf Øvre - Guitar
Karl Gudmund Birkely - Keyboards
Lars Rikard Kvaal - Bass
Rolf-Erik Nyland – Drums
G.H. Friedheim – Vocals