From the heart of Finland's frostbitten music scene emerges Unén, a symphonic act whose debut, Forever Winter, makes a damn good first impression. They work in that glossy, rock-leaning brand of symphonic metal akin to the likes of Evanescence, Delain, and Within Temptation, and they go for the kind of cinematic arrangements and moody, rocking melodies that you'd expect. They certainly have a good grasp of atmosphere, with thick guitars and memorable hooks enveloped by icy synths and soaring vocals, and it lets them shift between fragile, keyboard-driven verses and explosive, anthemic choruses with more fluidity than average. All this is confidently led by Stina Girs, whose clear, Amy Lee-esque voice can weave between whispering through mournful ballads and belting over double-kick driven choruses, and when mixed with her deeply personal lyrics, it gives the band an emotional weight that's sometimes missing from the style. All these elements come together with clarity and space thanks to a luscious production, and songs like the title track, "Black Heart", and "Ice Queen" show a band with polish and professionalism from the very start.

Having said all that, the arrangements themselves are pretty safe, often relying on genre tropes that are all too familiar for fans of the style, and there just isn't enough to make this band really stand out despite their talent and honesty. It doesn't help that the middle of this album really blends together, and a few cut tracks could have made this smoother and more consistent. Still, Forever Winter is a fairly impressive debut whose conviction and sincerity help it get past some of its failings. More risk-taking and editing could well make them a big name in the underground, but this remains a confident and heartfelt album from a band with potential that's well worth giving a listen to.