WINTERSUN Mainman Answers Fan-Submitted Questions (Video)

Finnish epic metallers WINTERSUN will release their long-awaited new album, "Time I", on October 12 via Nuclear Blast Records.

During the listening session for "Time I" at the Nuclear Blast headquarters in Donzdorf, Germany on July 28, Jari Mäenpää was interviewed by BLEEDING RED frontman Timo Joos, who asked the WINTERSUN mastermind fan questions that had been collected via the official Nuclear Blast Europe Facebook page. Watch the first part of the Nuclear Blast Facebook fan interview below. Also available is a four-minute video clip in which several European heavy metal jouranlists share their first impressions of "Time I" after listening to it for the first time.

To celebrate the "Time I" release, WINTERSUN will play two special shows in Finland. The first concert will take place on Octber 12 at Lutakko in Jyväskylä and the second on October 13 at Nosturi in Helsinki. Support at the shows will come from THAUROROD (Lutakko and Nosturi) and MEDICATED (Nosturi).

Commented WINTERSUN: "We're excited to start the 'Time' world tour from our home country with two shows in October! These two special album-release shows will be our first club gigs in Finland since 2006 and the first time ever 'Time I' songs will be heard live! The show attendees will also be the first ones to have a chance to get a signed copy of the new album.

"During the rest of the summer, we'll be rehearsing the new material and working on a new enhanced live show as well as doing some promo and preparing bonus material for the album. Right after the Finnish gigs, we'll continue on to Heidenfest tour in Central Europe and after that... Well, more shows will be announced soon. Stay tuned and hope to see you at the gigs!"

According to WINTERSUN mainman Jari Mäenpää, there are several reasons why the band's new effort, "Time" is being released as two seprate albums, titled "Time I" and "Time II". He says:

* "All the 80 minutes of material won't fit on a regular CD and we didn't want to cut anything out.
* "We want you to be able to hear new material sooner and not wait any longer and we want to go on tour sooner.
* "The music is very full and complex, so listening this kind of 'hard listening (not easy listening)' material straight for 80 minutes is a bit too much (even for me).
* "Both albums will be approximately. nice 40 min epic packages of fireworks.
* "We like the idea of releasing two albums within one year, so the band will stay more visible longer, which is important in these 'modern times.' No more years of silence for us!"

"Time I" track listing:

01. When Time Fades Away
02. Sons Of Winter And Stars
I) Rain Of Stars
II) Surrounded By Darkness
III) Journey Inside A Dream
IV) Sons of Winter And Stars
03. Land Of Snow And Sorrow
04. Darkness And Frost
05. Time

"Time II" will be released in 2013.

WINTERSUN will headline this year's edition of the Heidenfest tour, set to take place in October. Support on the trek will come from KORPIKLAANI, VARG, TROLLFEST and KRAMPUS.

WINTERSUN's debut CD was released in September 2004 through Nuclear Blast Records.