Born in Winter

Upon first listen to Paper and Roses, Born in Winter's latest, inevitable comparisons to Evanescence and Annette Olzon-era Nightwish are bound to crop up, particularly since these eight songs are similarly rooted in melodic, progressive metal and driven by female vocals. However, the material here doesn't come off saccharine, like that of the former outfit, and it's notably more rock-oriented than the latter's pop. "The Shallows" is the album's best track, with rhythms, guitars and vocals weaving an intricate yet uncluttered soundscape. Although the short sections of death-metal vocals in "Silver" and "Tarnish" sound a bit silly given the musical context, and the backing vocals for "Windows of Reason" wax into emo territory, Paper and Roses is an otherwise solid prog-metal offering.