DYING PHOENIX hailing from Berlin, Germany were formed in 2011. Despite being active for more than 10 years, the symphonic Metal outfit released only a couple of singles last year and now their debut full-length album. "Winter Is Coming" was produced, recorded, and mixed by Oliver Palotai (KAMELOT). It has a length of approximately 46 minutes, and it was released via German label El Puerto Records, which are specialists in symphonic Metal, melodic Death and Thrash Metal.

After the piano-driven cinematic intro "Valar Morghulis", which builds-up tension and atmosphere, the album starts with "Weaver Of Lies". It is a re-start, not a seamless transition, which takes away most of the tension, but it is a powerful re-start with heavy guitar riffing, crushing bass lines, and grim melodies. The lead vocals are shared between both vocalists, where the male vocals are around the medium of the vocal range, while the female vocals cover the medium to the higher end of the vocal range. "Weaver Of Lies" is a song at a measured tempo and it maintains a dark atmosphere throughout. "Who Owns The North" is a traditional symphonic Metal song at mid-tempo with dominant orchestral arrangements driven by the brass and the strings. While "Weaver Of Lies" was a track of the vocals, "Who Owns The North" is all about the symphonic sound. The vocal duties are pre-dominantly with Pat St. James during the verse and chorus parts, while Erica Bianca shows off her vocal skills during the break. The track is simple with little complexity and catchy melodies.

"Saturnine Days" starts quietly with the piano, strings, and the female vocals. It is almost a duet of the piano and the vocals, while the strings provide the background. The guitars, bass, and drums joining in abruptly, and the male vocals take over at a slow place. "Saturnine Days" is a ballad-esque song with the vocal contrasts driving the track. Highlight is the very contributing lead guitar solo. "Mother Of Dragons" starts bombastic with thunderous riffing and the full force of the orchestra. Pat St. James adapts to the heavy riffing during the verse parts very well as his voice is more Rock-oriented. "Mother Of Dragons" is a mid-tempo track, one of the heaviest on the album, and one of my favorites. "All Men Must Die" is another heavy track with sharp riffing and crunching bass lines. It is a track with many changes in tempo ranging from fast parts during the verse parts, mid-tempo during the chorus parts, and a couple of slow parts. The song is really a change in sound, there is no symphonic component, it has some Power Metal vibes, and the chorus is almost anthemic.

After such Metal driven sound, it is time for the orchestra and "Dead Faces Blue" starts with the brass, the strings, and both vocalists where the male vocals drive the song and Erica Bianca adds to it with her beautiful angelic and partially operatic voice. Over the course of the track, the guitars, bass, and drums are joining in and provide heaviness to the track, especially during the break. The chorus melodies are epic, catchy, and almost sing-alongs. "Dead Faces Blue" is one of the best songs on the album and it is the official video release with the YouTube link given below. "All For The Throne" has a voluminous and bombastic start, where the orchestral arrangement and the guitars drive the song forward at mid-tempo. The guitar riffing is sharp, and the track is one of the heaviest on the album. Highlight is another excellent lead guitar solo. The chorus melodies are catchy and again anthemic, making "All For The Throne" to another album highlight.

"Attack The Wall" has a crushing start with the guitar riffing, the bass lines, the drumming, and the male vocals. It is a super heavy track without orchestral arrangements. It is notable that during the heavy and guitar-driven tracks, the male vocals of Pat St. James are taking over the lead vocals, while Erica Bianca delivers support. "Deep Down Below" is a mixture of guitar riffing and orchestral arrangements at a measured tempo. It is a bombastic arrangement throughout with the brass and the guitars driving the track. However, "Deep Down Below" cannot quite keep up with most tracks on the album. "The Wild" starts with acoustic guitars and the vocals, where male and female vocals perform alternating and then as a duet. The female vocals are notably deeper during the track. "The Wild" is a quiet song and driven by the acoustic instruments without orchestral arrangements. It is a beautiful song and shows the versatility of DYING PHOENIX. The album closes with the orchestral outro "Valar Dohaeris".

DYING PHOENIX deliver a very good symphonic Metal album. "Winter Is Coming" is a very interesting album as it is a multi-dimensional album with incorporation of different sound elements and genres. DYING PHOENIX is not afraid to leave the traditional pathways of symphonic Metal and experiment with their sound. The versatility of both main vocalists gives the sound an extra dimension. The songwriting is very mature, and the album is well produced. DYING PHOENIX have a very promising start to their album career and symphonic Metal fans will be excited about "Winter Is Coming" and looking forward to the next steps of the DYING PHOENIX journey.