Time I is the second full-length album by the Finnish metal band Wintersun. It was originally scheduled for release in November 2006, but had been marred by many delays. It was released on October 19, 2012 via Nuclear Blast.

As of the commencement of recording, Jari Mäenpää has stated that the album length runs over 65 minutes, and it will be a concept album.^[5] Furthermore, according to Mäenpää, the album’s sound will be highly intricate. Each song is said to contain about 200 tracks.^[5]

The album’s complexity is one of the main reasons for its slow production process. As of April 2007, drums, bass and all the guitars have been recorded. Kai Hahto stated on the official site that due to studio intervention, progress is being made, but has also announced that they will not be giving any more release dates at this time, so as not to disappoint fans if they are not met.

As a teaser for the upcoming album, Wintersun ended their Metalcamp 2008 set with a 15 second preview of “Sons of Winter and Stars.”^[6]

On February 27, 2009, Mäenpää announced through Wintersun’s official website that the band would cancel all their live appearances, including Bloodstock Open Air and Summer Breeze, in order to make way for the slow progress of the album.^[7]

On April 26, 2010, Mäenpää announced on the Wintersun message board that Land of Snow and Sorrow is completely finished and that the tracks Storm and Silver Leaves will be done soon.^[8]

On November 17, 2010, the band members announced on Wintersun’s official website that the album is close to being completed for the most part, the synths and orchestrations might be finished around December 2010/January 2011. Jari intends to start mixing the album afterwards.^[9]

On December 25, 2010, Jari stated on the Winter Madness messageboard that “Silver Leaves” is finished except for some orchestrations. On December 26, 2010, Jari stated that three songs are finished and ready for mixing, and that four songs have “bits and pieces” missing, including vocals.^[10]

On March 19, 2011, Jari announced via the Winter Madness messageboard that mixing has been put on hold until late summer at earliest due to various complications, ranging from a lack of 64-bit DAW plugins to noisy nearby construction.^[11]

On March 16, 2012, Mäenpää announced via Wintersun’s official website that Time is nearly finished and will be released in late summer of 2012.

Two months later, on May 25, 2012, Wintersun announced that Time is going to be split in two halves and released separately, with the titles of Time I and Time II. The mixing process of Time I is well underway and scheduled to be finished around July 2012. The first album is due to be released in early fall 2012, with the second album tentatively planned for release on an unknown date in 2013.

A studio trailer was posted to the Nuclear Blast YouTube channel on July 4, 2012, revealing the release date of Time I to be October 19, 2012 in Europe and October 22, 2012 in North America. ^{[12] [13]}

On October 17, 2012, the album was made available for streaming on the band’s website.

Track listing

Lyrics

1. When Time Fades Away

[Instrumental]

2. Sons Of Winter And Stars

[I Rain Of Stars]

Behold the rain of stars – The awakening of darkened skies
Falling from the dark – The symphony of dying lights
Behold the rain of stars – The blazing fire came pouring down
Falling from the dark – And life and death became unbound
Sons of winter and stars – Rise!
Sons of winter and stars – Rise!
Sons of winter and stars! Rise! Rise!
Fly with us through the darkness
Sons of winter and stars! Rise! Rise!
And we shall embrace the stars
And we shall open the doors of time

[II Surrounded By Darkness]

I have awaken the darkness
Taste the fear! Taste the pain!
I am the one who seeks vengeance
Into the darkness we fly
Into the shadows they hide
Into the darkness we fly
They will never survive, they ́ll die
Oh they will die!
I sacrifice everything, just for one moment
I throw away everything that matters to me the most
I ́m flying through the darkness
The fire casts a shadow on me
I tear a part of my heart for creation of dimensions
And we fly beyond the restless shadows
We fly beyond the stars
We fly beyond the birth of the worlds
So old I ́ve become – Thousand years staring into emptiness
But now I realize – That it was just an illusion
All this time I thought it was you that would save the sun
Oh rain comes and washes the hate away
Now I am at the crossroads with questions
Somewhere, someday I will find what I am here for
Who am I

[III Journey Inside A Dream]

I ́m wondering now where will you take me
From the horizon the light comes alive
Into the mountains high we set our way
Will we find our way in this long winter night
I see the land of fading sun and rising mountains
And I finally feel that I ́ve found my home
But oh, how it feels so cold when my dreams wither in fragments of time
Revealing that this land will die
Before the winds so cold
The world was shattered in the fragments of time
Before the autumn rains
The coldness will again awake
Falling snow, so soft and cold
Dying moon cast down so weak
Frozen lake, the dancing spirits
Calling me to join in the cosmic dream
The silence is tempting me now…

[IV Sons Of Winter And Stars]

We are the Sons of Winter and Stars
We ́ve come from a far beyond time
Forever the fire burns in our hearts
Our world shall never die
In the arms of the wind we ride till dawn
As the waves of the ocean grind so strong
We wander in the stars until we ́re gone
Our fate is sealed by eternal sun
Until we fade away – Fate will find it ́s way
Until we drift into the dark
It ́s not too late to find a way – Fate will find it ́s way
And fly in cold embrace of stars
Mysteries of time
Unfolding in cosmic dreams
Leaving life and death meaningless
Before the revelation of infinity
Embrace the stars!
The energy flows in me like a river of stars
I ́m surrounded by the circle of fire, but eternal ice has frozen my heart
I ́m lost in the pathways of time
But now the time has come for us!
We are the Sons of Winter and Stars!

3. Land Of Snow And Sorrow

Far away there ́s a land of snow and sorrow

Time has made the frozen tears fall like rain from the starlit sky
And I feel so cold, I can ́t make it tomorrow
Oh, but the night will see where this path will lead my life
Endless field of snow at the edge of the world and the wailing
Winds so cold scar my face, I ́m going insane
I am lost from the light – And the memories follow me in the night
I ́m left in the arms of winter and I am carried far away – Far away
Night is falling over my home
The land of snow and sorrow, oh carry me away from the cold
And I fall asleep, I will dream the last dream
All I was, is gone now and sorrow is all I feel
And the white snow is falling from the starlit sky
And the stars are shining like your eyes
You are so beautiful
And I will follow them in this cold winter night
So I ́d find my way to you this time
Drifting away from the warmth of the darkness
Caressed by the light of a million stars
The darkness will always be a part of my heart
Until I ́m carried away by the winter ́s arms
Night is falling over my home
The land of snow and sorrow, oh carry me away from the cold
And I fall asleep and I will not be afraid
All I was, is gone now and sorrow is all I feel

4. Darkness And Frost

[Instrumental]

5. Time

Darkness and frost are starting to reach
The heart of this land with a cold disease
Sleep now for a while before the storm awakes
And one day it will reward you for the burden of wait
The roots go deep into the frozen dead ground
Listen to the land of snow, it makes no sound
For ages searching the warmth of the sun
If it never finds me, I can die as one
Time will go on and we are drifting away in the night
I ́ve been searching so long, but I will find you even if it takes my whole life
But tonight I feel so alone and I know that you are forever gone
Oh time, don ́t fade away when I need you here, oh please don ́t leave me now
TIME!
Time! Fades away!
When time fades away!
And I ́ll never be the same
Time! Time! Time! Time!
You want so much from me – I feel nothing but grief and despair
How can I make you feel again – All my dreams are just visions I can ́t bear
You want something that I can ́t give – I cannot keep living in this bitter dream
And I don ́t care anymore
It feels like my life is ending
Oh, another year gone by
But nothing has changed in my life
And time goes on forever and ever
And it waits for no one
Time fades away
And I fade away
And I ́ll never be the same
TIME! Fades away!
When time fades away!
And I ́ll never feel the same
And I fade away!
When time fades away!
And I ́ll never feel the same