Time I

{{Infobox album

| name = Time I

| type = studio

| artist = Wintersun

| cover = WintersunTimeI.jpg

| alt =

| released = 19 October 2012

| recorded = 2 May 2006 – July 2012 at Sonic Pump Studios, Helsinki

| venue =

| studio =

| genre = Symphonic metal, melodic death metal,{{Cite web|url=http://metalstorm.net/awards/archive.php?year=2012|title = Metal Storm Awards 2012}} power metal

| length = 40:06

| label = Nuclear Blast

| producer =

| prev_title = Wintersun

| prev_year = 2004

| next_title = The Forest Seasons

| next_year = 2017

}}

{{Album reviews

| rev1 = About.com

| rev1Score = {{Rating|4.5|5}}{{cite web|url=http://heavymetal.about.com/od/wintersun/fr/Wintersun-Time-I-Review.htm|title=Review by Marcus Jervis|work=About.com Entertainment|publisher=|access-date=25 November 2012|archive-date=18 November 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121118214905/http://heavymetal.about.com/od/wintersun/fr/Wintersun-Time-I-Review.htm|url-status=dead}}

| rev2 = Allmusic

| rev2Score = {{Rating|3|5}}{{cite web|url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/time-vol-1-mw0002420163|title=Time I – Wintersun – Songs, Reviews, Credits|website=AllMusic}}

| rev3 = Sputnikmusic

| rev3Score = {{Rating|3.5|5}}{{cite web|last=Ward|first=Kyle|title=Album Review – Wintersun: Time I|url=https://www.sputnikmusic.com/review/52685/Wintersun-Time-I/|publisher=Sputnikmusic|accessdate=22 January 2013|date=17 October 2012}}

| rev4 = Metal Storm

| rev4Score = {{Rating|7.5|10}}{{cite web|url=http://www.metalstorm.net/pub/review.php?review_id=11253|title=Wintersun – Time I review – Metal Storm|website=metalstorm.net}}

| rev5 = MetalUnderground

| rev5Score = {{Rating|4.5|5}}{{Cite web|url=http://www.metalunderground.com/reviews/details.cfm?releaseid=7937|title = Wintersun – 'Time I' CD Review}}

| rev6 = Heavy Blog Is Heavy

| rev6Score = {{Rating|4|5}}{{cite web|url=http://www.heavyblogisheavy.com/2012/10/17/wintersun-time-i/|title=Wintersun – Time I|date=17 October 2012|website=Heavy Blog Is Heavy}}

}}

Time I is the second studio album by Finnish melodic death metal band Wintersun. It was originally scheduled for release in November 2006, but was delayed several times before eventually being released on 19 October 2012 via Nuclear Blast.{{cite web|title=WINTERSUN: 'Time I' Release Date Moved Up A Week; Finnish Album-Release Shows Announced|url=http://www.blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=176917|accessdate=18 July 2012|date=18 July 2012}}

Background

As of the commencement of recording, Jari Mäenpää stated that the album length would run over 65 minutes, and that it would be a concept album.{{cite web|url=http://www.wintermadness.net/ |author=Jari Mäenpää |title=News update |date=17 April 2007 |accessdate=2 June 2007 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20101126102617/http://www.wintermadness.net/ |archivedate=26 November 2010 }} Furthermore, according to Mäenpää, the album's sound was to be highly intricate. Each song was said to contain about 200 tracks.

The album's complexity was one of the main reasons for its slow production process. As of April 2007, drums, bass and all the guitars had been recorded. Kai Hahto stated on the official site that due to studio intervention, progress was being made, but also announced that they would not be giving any more release dates at that time, so as not to disappoint fans if they were not met.

As a teaser for the upcoming album, Wintersun ended their Metalcamp 2008 set with a 15-second preview of "Sons of Winter and Stars".{{cite web |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9DcjmO1Utjs |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211214/9DcjmO1Utjs |archive-date=14 December 2021 |url-status=live|title=Wintersun Metalcamp 2008 Starchild – New song drumcam |date=18 July 2008 |publisher=YouTube |accessdate=25 June 2011}}{{cbignore}}

On 27 February 2009, Mäenpää announced through Wintersun's official website that the band would cancel all their live appearances, including Bloodstock Open Air and Summer Breeze, in order to make way for the slow progress of the album.{{cite web |url=http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/BLABBERMOUTH.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=115286 |title=Wintersun Pulls Out Of Summer Breeze, Bloodstock Open Air Festivals |date=28 February 2009 |publisher=Roadrunner Records |accessdate=1 February 2010 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20090309040259/http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=115286 |archivedate=9 March 2009 }}

On 26 April 2010, Mäenpää announced on the Wintersun message board that "Land of Snow and Sorrow" was completely finished and that the tracks "Storm" and "Silver Leaves" would be done soon.{{cite web |url=http://wintermadness.net/messageboard/viewtopic.php?t=627&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=1080 |title=WINTERSUN :: View topic – Time album is progressing-Album update 24.sept.2008 |publisher=Wintermadness.net |date= |accessdate=13 August 2011 |archive-date=24 July 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110724132617/http://wintermadness.net/messageboard/viewtopic.php?t=627&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=1080 |url-status=dead }}

On 17 November 2010, the band members announced on Wintersun's official website that the album was close to being completed for the most part and that the synths and orchestrations might be finished around December 2010/January 2011. Jari intended to start mixing the album afterwards.[http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=149688 Wintersun Mainman Issues New Album Update] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101126233019/http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=149688 |date=26 November 2010 }} blabbermouth.net. 19 November 2010. Retrieved on 2010-11-24.

On 25 December 2010, Jari stated on the Winter Madness message board that "Silver Leaves" was finished except for some orchestrations. On 26 December 2010, Jari stated that three songs are finished and ready for mixing, and that four songs have "bits and pieces" missing, including vocals.[http://www.wintermadness.net/messageboard/viewtopic.php?t=917&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=0 Happy birthday Jari!] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110717123152/http://www.wintermadness.net/messageboard/viewtopic.php?t=917&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=0 |date=17 July 2011 }} wintermadness.net. December 2010. Retrieved on 28 December 2010.

On 19 March 2011, Jari announced via the Winter Madness message board that mixing had been put on hold until late summer at the earliest due to various complications, ranging from a lack of 64-bit DAW plugins to noisy nearby construction.[http://www.wintermadness.net/messageboard/viewtopic.php?p=21686&highlight=#21686 Mixing.] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110928095759/http://www.wintermadness.net/messageboard/viewtopic.php?p=21686&highlight=#21686 |date=28 September 2011 }} wintermadness.net. 19 March 2011. Retrieved on 2011-05-30.

On 16 March 2012, Mäenpää announced via Wintersun's official website that Time was nearly finished and would be released in late summer of 2012.

Two months later, on 25 May 2012, Wintersun announced that Time was to be split into two halves and released separately, with the titles of Time I and Time II. At the time, the mixing process of Time I was underway and scheduled to be finished around July 2012. The first album was released in October 2012

A studio trailer was posted to the Nuclear Blast YouTube channel on 4 July 2012, revealing the release date of Time I to be 19 October 2012 in Europe and 22 October 2012 in North America.{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OoAUK5KOwRs |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211214/OoAUK5KOwRs |archive-date=14 December 2021 |url-status=live|title=WINTERSUN – TIME I – Studio Trailer (PART 1) (OFFICIAL BEHIND THE SCENES)|last=Nuclear Blast Records|date=4 July 2012 |publisher=|via=YouTube}}{{cbignore}}{{cite web|url=https://www.nuclearblast.de/en/label/music/band/news/details/1092720.71013.wintersun-first-studio-trailer-posted-online.html|title=WINTERSUN: First Studio Trailer Posted Online|date=4 July 2012|website=Nuclear Blast}}

On 17 October 2012, the album was made available for streaming on the band's website.{{cite web|url=http://www.blabbermouth.net/news/wintersun-time-i-album-available-for-streaming/|title=WINTERSUN: 'Time I' Album Available For Streaming|last=Blabbermouth|date=17 October 2012|website=BLABBERMOUTH.NET}}

Time II was tentatively planned for release at an unknown date in 2013, but had suffered many delays and was not released until 30 August 2024.

Music

Concerning the album and potential Japanese influence, Jari Mäenpää stated in a 2004 interview, "Right now I'm exploring some Japanese style melodies, so beautiful and magical. You can probably hear some in the next album."Stefanis, John. [http://www.getreadytorock.com/pure_metal/wintersun_interview.htm Interview: Jari Maenpaa(Wintersun)] getreadytorock.com. 2004. Retrieved on 29 January 2010. The introduction track is confirmed to have Japanese influence.{{cite web |url=http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=70684 |title=Wintersun: New Album Delayed |date=17 April 2007 |publisher=Roadrunner Records |accessdate=30 January 2010 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110606053714/http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=70684 |archivedate=6 June 2011 }}

Track listing

{{tracklist

|headline = Standard & deluxe edition – Disc 1

|all_writing = Jari Mäenpää

|title1 = When Time Fades Away

|length1 = 4:07

|title2=Sons of Winter and Stars"

I. "Rain of Stars"
II. "Surrounded by Darkness"
III. "Journey Inside a Dream"
IV. "Sons of Winter and Stars

|length2 = 13:31

|title3 = Land of Snow and Sorrow

|length3 = 8:21

|title4 = Darkness and Frost

|length4 = 2:23

|title5 = Time

|length5 = 11:44

|title6 = Sons of Winter and Stars (Acapella)

|length6 = 3:50

|note6 = Limited edition bonus hidden track¹

|total_length = 43:56

}}

¹ Limited edition contains a hidden track (03:50) after the last track. This contains acappella parts reminiscent of the hidden track on the limited editions of the first two Ensiferum albums.