A few months ago, I became acutely aware of a burgeoning rock scene in Greece. We had Ody and Marianna from Project Renegade on our podcast and I reviewed another record from Bend for Eleven. There are other groups I will be addressing, but a very interesting band has caught my attention- Winter’s Verge. To categorize this band would do them a disservice. They are rock for sure, a little metal, a little symphonic and a whole lot ambitious.

On September 11, Winter’s Verge drops their seventh full length studio album called The Ballad of James Tig. It is a concept album with lyrics written by playwright Frixos Masouras. It is a nine song album with the following tracks:

1. It Begins 2. A Thousand Souls 3. Dead Reckoning 4. Timeless 5.  Khilagorak 6. I Accept 7. Blood on the Foam 8. The Sea 9. The Ballad of James Tig

Anyone who knows me or has listened to the podcast knows that an album like this is totally in my wheel house. I love concept records. Rush’s 2112 and Clockwork Angels are on my regular rotation. Iron Maiden’s Rime of the Ancient Mariner wowed me as a kid and led me to my favorite poet Samuel Taylor Coleridge. I even found a sweet spot for 21 Pilots following their last release, Trench, which we reviewed on the podcast.

Of course, these artists couldn’t be more different, but they all deliver concepts that successfully run through an entire album and tell compelling stories. At this point, we have only heard one small part of The Ballad of James Tig, but if “I Accept” is indicative of the entire record, we are certainly in for a treat. They recently released the lyric video, below:

Highlights for me: The song opens with a piano and a choir. Background ambience belies an intense scene. The rock portion kicks in with George Charalambous belting out lyrics that would make Bruce Dickinson proud. A beautifully ominous female voice joins midway during the break to add depth and foreboding. George returns following a technical guitar solo. For a concept involving the sea, we needed some proper tropes to make this familiar. We get them: seagulls, morning mist, a veil, a myth, a curse, guilt, etc. This song, and seemingly the record, seem to be on the right path. Can’t wait to hear the entire record and hear this tale. Be sure to check back for a full album review.

Check Winter’s Verge out and give them a Like at  https://www.facebook.com/WintersVerge

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