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The review is written by Ever Metal

The Symphonic and the Gothic work best when they take their time to build up layers of mood with sound and this bunch nail it perfectly. Equally they take time to unpick and appreciate, and a casual first pass listen is simply not going to do justice to the monumental technical and musical effort that has gone into the crafting of the album. I have to stress that, because when you are an independent & self-financing band, the costs of recording and producing “A Whole New Land” will not have been insignificant. I am curious to know how they will tour this, particularly outside of their home market, as taking more than five of them on the road will clearly be something of a challenge and some of the music will lose its sense of majesty if it’s delivered by the click of a switch live.

It’s long, it’s technically complex with superb musical depth, but needs a good three listens before you really start to appreciate the work that has gone into it. With a bit more balance of the accessible and immediate, then this would be top drawer stuff. That said, if the chance to fly to Bulgaria and watch them do the whole thing live with the full orchestra comes up, I will seize it with both hands.

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The review is written by All Around Metal

Avevamo già incontrato i bulgari Metalwings sia all’epoca del primo EP “Fallen angel in the hell” che per il meraviglioso debut album “For all beyond”; li ritroviamo a tre anni di distanza con un nuovo full-length, intitolato “A whole new land” e qualche novità nella line-up, dato che è entrato da poco a far parte del gruppo il bassista Vlad Enev; dopo la registrazione del disco, invece, è entrato il chitarrista Martin Emilov, mentre ne è uscito l’altro chitarrista Grigor Kostadinov. Ma torniamo alla musica; come i più attenti ricorderanno, i bulgari suonano un piacevolissimo female fronted symphonic metal, contraddistinto dalla splendida voce di Stela Atanasova che suona anche la viola (dando a volte un tocco folk al sound), ed anche questa volta la band di Sofia non si è smentita, sfornando un disco davvero piacevole, diviso in 11 tracce per quasi 70 minuti di durata totale. Ecco, forse, qualche sforbiciata qua e là contribuirebbe a rendere più snello ed appetibile l’ascolto, ma si tratta di dettagli, dato che, come detto, il disco è davvero piacevole. La Atanasova, pur non disdegnando liricismi vari, non risulta mai stucchevole, né esagerata; il ritmo imposto dall’ottimo batterista Nikola Ivanov è sempre frizzante, mentre la restante parte degli strumenti fa la sua parte alla grande; forse solo il basso è leggermente sacrificato in sottofondo e poteva essere maggiormente protagonista. La cosa che sorprende, soprattutto quando spesso nel female fronted symphonic metal varie labels propongono dischi noiosissimi, è che nessuno si sia accorto della qualità fuori dal comune di questi Metalwings, tanto da costringerli ancora una volta ad autoprodurre la loro splendida musica! Ma della cecità ed ignoranza del music business ne abbiamo parlato fin troppe volte e non serve proseguire oltre…. Come detto, l’unico punto debole di questo disco sta nella durata eccessiva di alcuni brani (diversi superano i 7 minuti), ma si tratta di dettagli che non pesano più di tanto sull’ottima riuscita finale, dato che è sempre stato piacevole ascoltare e riascoltare questo “A whole new land”. Complimenti Metalwings, continuate sempre così!

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Another great and very interesting review by Obliveon!

“A Whole New Land” is only the second long player from METALWINGS after a band history of more than ten years. But it could – that much is anticipated – catapult the Bulgarian symphonic metal band to a whole new level. So I read that they were on tour with Imperial Age in 2019. Nothing against this talented Russian band, but from what you’ve heard here it sounds a bit like Dieter Bohlen invited Mozart to accompany him on tour. The six from Sofia creates symphonic, gothic and classic metal on a very high compositional level.

Two outstanding trademarks in the group’s sound are in the foreground and are able to make the difference: the crystal-clear, multi-faceted voice of front woman Stela Atanasova and her violin, both of which produce incredibly beautiful melodies and blend with the other components of the sound complement in an exemplary manner. It usually gets down to business at a rather moderate pace, but METALWINGS is also no stranger to double-bass passages.

The pre-single ‘Monster In The Mirror’ is also very fast and tough and male growls are also used. You could pick out every single track, but above all you really enjoy listening to the troupe and despite almost seventy minutes of playing time and yet very similar songs, there is no boredom. The compositions are perfectly arranged and versatile and in the most positive sense catchy, even without major effects or gimmicks. The Bulgarians master both quieter tones, again with a beguiling violin performance (‘Silence’), as well as an equally captivating ballad (‘Still Believe In Us’), as well as an almost poppy track like ‘Wonders Of Life‘.

However, the perfect audition tip and over-song is the fantastic ‘Killer Of The Angel’s Love’, which perfectly combines all trademarks: orchestral and piano parts, tempo changes, different moods, terrific vocals, a lightning-fast passage and the violin that comes in Duel with the guitar leads delivers. The individual parts go hand in hand and the interplay of the instruments is consistently successful. METALWINGS generate energy and dynamics in a pleasant, somehow cultivated way. In addition, the violin and piano parts give the sound enough bombast, but also convey elegance and feeling to a high degree. The fairytale-like singing is only operatic in tolerable doses, but never exaggerated or artificial. Great performance!

Michael Gaspar awards 9 out of 10 points

Follow the link to the review here!

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“A Whole New Land” is already here! We are extremely happy and grateful to everyone for the great support and love!Our second studio album “A Whole New Land” is available now on all digital platforms! Get it now here 👇

➤➤➤ https://fanlink.to/AWNL

You can order a physical CD-Digipack here 👇

➤➤➤ https://metalwings.bandcamp.com/album/a-whole-new-land

Behind this monumental album are the hearts, minds and efforts of the following crew and fellowship:

Stela Atanasova – Vocals, Electric Viola, Keyboards

Grigor Kostadinov – Electric & Acoustik Guitars

Vlad Enev – Bass Guitars

Nikola (Blackie) Ivanov – Drums

Angel Kitanov- Keyboards

Additional Musicians:Ivo Kalyonski – Extreme Vocals on “Monster in the mirror”

Georgi Dobrev – Kaval on “Milo moe libe”

A WHOLE NEW LAND is produced by METALWINGS and co-produced by Stela Atanasova

All Music by Stela Atanasova

All Lyrics by Stela Atanaosva

All Arrangements by METALWINGSAll

Choir, Keyboards and Orchestra arrangements by Stela Atanasova

Mixed and mastered by JENS BOGREN at Fascination Street Studios. Sound Assistant Linus Corneliusson at Fascination Street Studios, Sweden.’A Whole New Land’ is recorded at studio Na Vilata, Bulgaria. Artwork & Design by Yasen Denev at RED RING Entertainment

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This time the interview is with metal-heads.de.

Some excerpts from it:

Thanks to Crying of the Sun, the world learned about us. Until now, no metal band from Bulgaria has gained such popularity and has not reached literally all corners of the Earth. We got a great chance and the most important thing is that it motivates us to work even harder to prove to our fans that we are not just a successful song, but we are a metal band that states categorically its place on the map of metal music. 

As for the music business – I honestly don’t like what’s been happening to music in recent years and how spectacular, vision-like, but completely devoid of talent, bands and performers are being launched, while those who really deserve to be heard are ignored and suppressed deliberately. I hope that sooner or later this system will break and as many independent artists as possible will have the opportunity to play at major festivals and make successful international tours without being dependent on anyone. An artist without wings is not an artist, but a bird in a cage.

Doors that open easily are also easy to close. We do not dream of easy fame and false popularity. We fight for every single fan. We try to make different, interesting and captivating music. And if we manage to win the hearts of true music connoisseurs, then we’ve done what is necessary and what we have set as a goal.

The music industry can make you famous for a day without deserving it, but it can also destroy you for a moment, even though you’re making great music. So it is very important to know exactly what you want to achieve and find the best option to do it. (Stela Atanaosva)

Follow the link to read the full interview!

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The review is written by Darkzen!

My Recomendation

An album with excellent musical content! The musical composition is varied within its Symphonic, instrumental, gothic, elegant style and a bit of Folk, there is melody and harmony, with varied tempos in its Symphonic parts ‘A Whole New Land’ is a concept album, both in music and in the lyrics, because each song has something different, there is the presence of strong and soft chords, acoustic parts, parts with wind instruments carried in an excellent way, an extensive album both in the musical part and in the conceptual, an album with a greater Symphonic / Gothic / Folk Metal content with a soft, rhythmic and melodic musical scale with a bit of a soft, dark atmosphere and native sounds that once again show us Metalwings the strong part of the band.

The Voice

Stela’s voice is an excellent and angelic voice, its scale and range of voice is unique, a harmonic, melodic, sweet, clean and beautiful operatic register, a very powerful weapon of the band is in the beautiful voice of Stela that gives to each musical track its own style.

Score

100/100

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This time the review is written by Rainer Kerber from Keep on Rocking Mag Germany!!!

“I am aware that symphonic metal albums are often very controversial among metal fans. But singer and mastermind Stela Atanasova managed to create a balanced mixture of symphonic and metal. Sure, their orchestrations are omnipresent in the songs, but never just a means to an end. Your singing also fits into the sound. She calls a classically trained soprano her own. But unlike many of her colleagues, she does not constantly try to tirilate at the highest altitudes. She uses the full range of her vocal abilities. In addition, the other band members constantly prove their great skills on the instruments. “A Whole New Land” is a symphonic metal album of the better kind.”

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Pix666: Your new album ‘A Whole New Land’ will be released in June. What can fans expect on the album? What makes the album different from your previous releases? Is it already possible to pre-order the album somewhere?

Stela: Our fans can expect a very different album in every aspect – that’s why the name of the album is ‘A Whole New Land’. Our songs are much more complex, from a musical and compositional point of view. The arrangements have much heavier guitars and drums. Last but not least are the beautiful orchestral arrangements, as well as the inspiring lyrics. Yes, the album can now be pre-ordered via iTunes.

Pix666: When you release an album, you want to get out on stage right away and blast the songs at the audience. …but the pandemic unfortunately still has us in its grip. Despite everything, have you already made plans for a record release show or a tour?

Stela: We are already planning a show on June 11, where we will present our new album live to all our fans, here in Sofia. After that we have an invitation to participate in a festival here in Bulgaria. We are expecting other dates in the summer, when I hope we will have the opportunity to present our new songs live.

Pix666: Do you have any wishes and dreams for Metalwings for the future – in which countries would you like to play, which festivals or locations do you miss and with which bands would you like to go on tour or share a stage?

Stela: What I wish for myself and Metalwings is to get the attention of true connoisseurs of metal music. We do not strive for quick popularity, but we strive to win people’s hearts. Of course, my biggest dream is to start doing longer tours, to more destinations and one day, to start receiving invitations from big festivals to share the stage with bands like Nightwish, Dimmu Borgir, Epica.

Pix666: As a musician, you certainly spend most of your time creating music – but what else do you do in your free time when you want to get your mind off things – are there any interesting hobbies that you pursue?

Stela: Apart from the obvious things you listed – I like to read books, walk in nature or just sit on the beach, in my hometown Burgas and enjoy the sea. It charges me and inspires me the most. I use my little free time to remain silent and enjoy the moment.

Pix666: Do you have any other news, that you would like to share with the fans?

Stela: Be prepared for something new and truly epic – our new land is coming on June 11th and I’m sure it will take you on the wings of music, to fabulous lands and forgotten dreams.

Follow the link to read the full interview

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Have you ever thought about giving up your music career? And if so, what prompted you to keep going?

All musicians who put their soul into music had moments when they wanted to give up. Music is a blessing, but it can also be a curse. Especially when nowadays you see how stars are created in days and real talents are neglected and forgotten. There is no artist who loves works in the dark. Everyone wants attention, contact with the audience and their music to see the light of day. But in fact, instead of making it easier, it has become much harder for real artists because they don’t have the energy or time to be assertive, to be online and to be so social. The real artists don’t have the desire to shoot constantly for dozens of social networks and to show what they eat or what they do. This is exhausting for a real artist. A real artist just wants to make music and share it with the world. But the world has changed and cruelly oppressed those who are not ready for change. At the moment, the chances of becoming popular because of how you look are much higher than becoming famous because you make great music. There are only a few people who will appreciate your music. Millions are those who are impressed by the external, spectacular and easy to perceive. As for how I manage to move forward – I’m a scorpion, I don’t give up easily. The harder I work, the more I pull forward. Besides, music is my life. I don’t make music to impress the whole world. I make music to be heard by those who have the hearts and minds to appreciate it. Our music is boutique – it is only for connoisseurs. I am happy for every fan and every positive comment, because for us everyone is valuable. When someone take the time to hear our songs, to write us a comment – this means that we have already achieved our goal. So, the music industry brings both a lot of joy and can kill you. It is important with what expectations you pass through the door of fame.

How has your experience been as a woman and being in the music and metal scene?

I don’t think we should divide musicians into men or women. We are all the same. If so far there has been a feeling that women are neglected and not accepted in the metal scene, it is because women have paid too much attention to men’s opinions. I already think that has changed and women have gained much more confidence that they are no less good than men on the metal scene. I personally feel great being part of the metal scene and showing the world how amazing we women are in every way.

 Finally, what message would you like to leave to all those women, and people in general, who still do not dare to play an instrument and form a band due to fears, prejudices and insecurities?

I want to say that we live in a small country – the poorest in the European Union. We do not have a developed music industry. The media does not support local bands. No organizer of major festivals here wants to open his eyes and hear something different from what he has already heard. The battle is fierce and unjust and will always be so. I don’t know how it is in other countries, but it is like that here. We have achieved everything so far on our own. Do you know why? Because we didn’t give up and didn’t pay attention to anyone who criticized us or betrayed us. We always stand up and move forward. Don’t let anyone take away your dreams and break your wings. Life is only yours, and the world is huge and waiting for you to concure it. Do not waste your time in fears, do not put up with crumbs. Always strive for more, for a higher, for your better self. And forget about those who don’t like or disapprove of what you do. You have your own path and destiny – just follow it.

Read the interview here

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The new review is written by Metal World!!!

“A Whole New Land” was mixed and mastered by Jens Bogren at Fascination Street Studios. Guests on the album include Ivo Kalyonski (extreme voice on “Monster In the Mirror”) and Georgi Dobrev (Kaval on “Milo Moe Libe”), while the cover art was created by Yasen Denev at Red Ring Entertainment.

“A Whole New Land” begins with a dark atmosphere intro, gradually incorporating percussion, powerful guitars, keys and angelic vocals for a magical eight minutes with opera choruses and various stop and go. In “Monster In the Mirror” the vocal interpretation varies a little more choral and high applied in a song of climates that sounds forceful and lets hear some well-placed guttural contributions between the lines. “Like A Willow Without Tears” is epic and very folk, continuing in the middle tempos until the power side starts in a great song. Then on “I See Your Power”, the performers are overflowing with energy and they really do a great job where the drums stand out.

Again the beauty of the voices stand out in “Silence” where they slowly consolidate a kind of stormy ballad of great composition that takes off musically at times. A great melody captures us with “Still Believe in Us”, emotional and dramatic. “Killer Of The Angel’s Love” is my favorite, a song with pure energy and dexterity that has a sober balance of combinations and where all the instruments fly very high. From song number eight “Wonders of Life”, I can say that we are facing an important component of the album that I am going to use to assess the particularities of the band, which at no time invite us to be compared with close exponents by gender or by having female voices and that’s great …

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