WINGS OF DESTINY – Winds Of Time (Album Review)

The winds of time blow fervently.

There has been a new wind blowing in the U.S. heavy metal underground for the past couple of years, one that’s been hitting a bit differently than its contemporaries as it rushes past the trees of the West Coast. Arguably establishing themselves as the new elite of the American contingent of the NWOTHM even before attaining label support, Los Angeles’ own Wings Of Destiny has embarked on a rapid ascent since their 2022 eponymous EP and 2023 debut LP Gates Of Twilight hit the scene.

Beginning as a de facto two-person project between the highly charismatic and awe-inspiring vocal presence of singer Leo Unnermark and the guitar and bass wizardry of virtuoso Parker Halub, both rank newcomers to the metal ranks, their signature sound walked a very fine line between pure retro 80s heavy metal revivalism and a versatile application of its many variant styles that borders on progressive. Now with the support of High Roller Records and newly recruited permanent drummer Damien Rainaud (Once Human, ex-Hamka), this power trio has unleashed an even more colossal studio endeavor dubbed Winds Of Time.

In all respects, this opus is an endeavor in throwing caution to the wind, yet also a highly calculated fit of stylistic evolution that maintains the diverse character of Wings Of Destiny while expanding upon the songwriting possibilities that came along with it. On the familiar side of the equation, Unnermark’s insanely wide vocal range is on full display, often embodying the sleek and strong clarity of Hammerfall’s Joacim Cans, but also the insane heights and brightness of select glam era icons like Mark Slaughter and Jim Gillette.

Likewise, Rainaud’s kit work strikes with a bit more fury and force compared to past sessions and current touring drummer Mike Mayhem, but generally conforms to the blend of frenetic speed matched with the down-tempo grooving of the latter. The axel that makes the 2 aforementioned wheels truly spin with a new level of brilliance is clearly Parker’s guitar and bass work, which is equally split between forging iconic riffs that give these songs their true power, and the insanely expressive and technical soloing displays that put a degree of luster on this album that rivals the pivotal strides made the 80s by the likes of George Lynch and Brad Gillis.

Where before a degree of brevity was maintained from one song to the next to contain the intricate blend of past influences, Winds Of Time all but fully takes the plunge into the free-flowing world of progressive metal, albeit from a mid-80s standpoint. Whether it be the gargantuan 10 minutes plus title song that kicks the album off and throws about every intricacy that Queensrÿche and Crimson Glory might have thrown at the metal masses circa 1984-1988 yet ultimately did not, to the slow-building melancholic balladry of “Flight Of The Eagle” that closes things off, it’s abundantly clear that Wings Of Destiny are playing for keeps here.

Yet amid the elaborate design of cogs and wheels that make this metal machine go there is a clear and consonant sense of melody and drive that keeps things engaging for those who might not necessarily be predisposed to towering epics after the spirit of Iron Maiden’s “Rime Of The Ancient Mariner”, while even moderate length anthems like “We Rise” and “Burning Sands” maintain a sense of subtleness despite tacking on some truly infectious hooks and relying upon traditional metallic drive for the lion’s share of their respective durations.

By the same token, this fold has not forgotten the value of a solid, accessible banger to keep their audience’s attention span from getting overworked. Among the more bombastic and to-the-point entries to ever come out of the Wings Of Destiny arsenal is a truly explosive speed anthem in “Saints And Sinners” that could easily stand toe to toe with any Judas Priest-inspired up-tempo beast. Nipping on its heels is a slightly less kinetic but heavy as an anvil metal crusher in “To Die In Holy War” that also functions as a rather poignant antiwar anthem, spearheaded by an incredibly impassioned and acrobatic vocal display out of Unnermark.

A more mid-paced nod to the spirit of lovelorn 80s power balladry makes a showing in “Crying”, which has a bit more of a Dokken-like flavor to it relative to the more bluesy rocking fodder off of Gates Of Twilight. Closing the circle of this outfit’s stylistic trifecta of hard rock, progressive, and doom metal is a Tony Martin-era Black Sabbath influenced entry in “Lights Go Out” that goes so dark and heavy that it could almost be mistaken for a lost Solitude Aeternus track save for the more high-end and clean-cut vocal display and Halub’s shred-happy soloing.

Whether such a thing as the perfect heavy metal album actually exists is open for debate, but wherever one may fall on the question, it’s pretty hard to see the answer being something far from what Wings Of Destiny have just unleashed. It takes just about every existing trope outside of the extreme fringes of the 80s metal paradigm. It melds them into something that is both instantly familiar but also something that could not have possibly been written and recorded at the time due to the lack of hindsight and the compartmentalization of the stylistic expressions into rivaling scenes.

There is not a dull moment to be had within the nearly 50 minutes that contain its duration, and even the long-winded epics that bookend it seem to all but pass in about half the time. One might call them the latest addition to a growing family of young metal bands keeping the original spirit alive, but it wouldn’t be much of a stretch to say that Wings Of Destiny are en route to be the most significant band since Hammerfall brought the genre back from the brink in the late 90s.

Release Date: October 17th, 2025
Record Label: High Roller Records
Genre: Heavy Metal

Musicians:

• Leo Unnermark / Vocals
• Parker Halub / Guitars & bass | Lead Guitars during tour
• Stefan Bailet / Rhythm guitar during tour
• Mathieu Trobec / Bass during tour
• Damien Rainaud / Drums | Marcel Binder / Drums during tour

Winds Of Time Track-list:

1. Winds Of Time
2. Saints And Sinners
3. Crying
4. Burning Sands
5. To Die In Holy War
6. Lights Go Out
7. We Rise
8. Flight of the Eagle

Order the album: USA/Rest of World here | Europe: here