ANDY WINTER Offers Updates On WINDS, AGE OF SILENCE

Andy Winter (WINDS, AGE OF SILENCE) has issued the following update on his various projects:

"Greetings, everyone! As we're getting closer to the half way mark of the year, I guess this is as good a time as any to write an update about what's been going on lately, and more importantly what's to come. On May 3rd, I released a mini-CD containing a solo performance with classical piano music. This release is my first solo release and it is called 'Shades of Light Through Black and White'. It is available exclusively through The End Records, and the cover art is graced with some unique black and white photographs. The disc is a 1000-copy, limited-edition release.

"As reported sometime ago, WINDS has already completed the basic material for the fourth album, and the drums were recorded last year. At this time we are making the preparations to continue the recordings, meaning that Carl August Tidemann will find himself in and out of the studio for several months starting after his summer vacation. I have also completed the lyrical concept, and earlier this week I talked to the guys about the musical direction of the next record. There is still a lot to be determined about the sound and the details, and we are still in the midst of discussing all of this, but already the entire band agrees that what we are on the right track for something new, and that what we are about to embark on will pretty much blow everything we have done so far out of the water. Maybe that is an overused cliché that every band nowadays uses when they put out a new record, but I believe we have the merits to back up our claim, and in this case there is no doubt that this will be the most different record we have ever done. I can also say that this record won't see the light of day until some time in 2006, so that we will have spent over two years making it from the recordings started until they finish should be an indication of how much effort we are putting into it. I know I previously stated that we would not take two years to make the next album, but what can I say, I will have to admit I was wrong and correct myself in this matter. I may also have to correct my previous statement about not involving any guests on the new record, but that part still remains to be seen, and I guess only time will tell.

"Onto AGE OF SILENCE news, we are currently in the studio working on the follow-up to 'Acceleration', and although we already have enough material to fill a full-length album I can hereby make it official that we will be releasing a mini-CD prior to the next full-length. Jan Axel von Blomberg (Hellhammer; MAYHEM) recorded the drums in March, and the guitars are currently being tracked right at this moment. It is the plan to finish everything by the end of the summer, and hopefully to release it on October 11th. The musical direction of the new AGE OF SILENCE mini-CD will change into what some might call a darker, slower paced, more atmospheric and heavier/more extreme sound, while still retaining the progressive and intriguing elements AGE OF SILENCE is known for. The lyrical concept is already written by Lazare (Lars Nedland),and in my opinion it is the perfect continuation to where 'Acceleration' left off. It is not a direct continuation of it in any means, but it deals with themes that are very familiar to the AGE OF SILENCE concept.

"Aside from working on my two main bands, WINDS and AGE OF SILENCE, I am also working on a third project, something that is still very much in the early making, but some recordings have already been completed. This project will involve some familiar faces, but it will also welcome some new ones to the 'family' of musicians I am involved with on a regular basis. I have played some recordings of this project for a select group of people, and many of them have said they believe this will become their favorite project of mine when it is done. The project will also see me in a different role than I am used to, and I will be taking on more responsibilities than I have ever done before on a single release, so it will be both challenging and interesting at the same time to see how that works out. In fact, I am very excited about this new project, and I am dying to tell a lot more about it, but I have to wait until things are official and contracts are signed, etc. That could still take a while, but after the formalities are out of the way I will surely make an announcement regarding this project revealing all the details.

"As far as what my fellow band members have been up to so far this year, Lazare (Lars Nedland) has been busy making a new SOLEFALD album, and he is just about to start the recording of a new BORKNAGAR album as well. Jan Axel von Blomberg (Hellhammer) has been in the studio with ARCTURUS and DIMMU BORGIR, and he has also played some gigs throughout the year. Lars Eric Si (Eikind) has been recording and touring with a band from Finland called BEFORE THE DAWN, and Carl August Tidemann has finally completed the debut album with his other band TRITONUS. He has also been working a lot with rehearsing his playing technique for the upcoming WINDS recordings, and this has been an ongoing process most of this year for him so far. Extant and Kobbergaard have been busy writing new AGE OF SILENCE material with me for the upcoming full-length, so they have not had the time to venture into any other projects right now.

"Back to myself again, I have also recently been asked to perform with a few different projects, both known and unknown. I have not formally committed to any guest performances or other projects as of yet, but when or if something becomes official, I will also return with more information on this. That's all I have to report at the moment, so thanks to everyone who has showed interest, and for the continued support of my bands and projects."