Winter In Eden – Never Untold

Winter In Eden
Never Untold
Label: Red Records / AWAL     
Out: 03. Juli 2026
Playing time: 36:17

Winter In Eden creates powerful, emotionally charged music that blends soaring melodies, cinematic atmosphere, and compelling storytelling.

This is what the band’s press release states. Winter in Eden were formed in 2007 by Vicky and Steve Johnson. Shortly after the release of their fourth album, ‘Social Fake’ (2022), they announced, completely out of the blue, that they were taking a temporary hiatus. Due to overwhelming demand from fans, the founding members revived the band at the end of 2024. In the meantime, the band apparently consists solely of Vicky and Steve. They are supported by session and studio musicians during recording sessions and live performances. This was also the case for their fifth studio album, ‘Never Untold’.

The album opens with the three-movement piece ‘Sleepwalk’. The first movement is entitled ‘In Plain Sight’ and is characterised by explosive guitar riffs. Vicky Johnson’s vocals are a delight to the ears. ‘The Curse’ begins much more quietly, with acoustic guitars. But then the guitar riffs take centre stage once more, accompanying the singer’s clear and powerful voice. Acoustic guitars can still be heard from time to time later on, though. And there’s a guitar solo. In contrast, ‘Gone’ is more of a short coda in the style of a phrase. Vicky’s gentle vocals are accompanied by strings and electric piano. On ‘Nobody’, rhythmic guitars take centre stage once more, underpinned by epic orchestrations. Vicky sings with a dark timbre. ‘My Imagination’ begins quietly with keyboards before the guitars shift back into a range from slow to mid-tempo. The chorus invites you to sing along. ‘Silence’ is a beautiful ballad. Vicky Johnson is accompanied by piano and strings. Even though the rhythm section later kicks in powerfully at times, the ballad-like atmosphere is maintained. It is only when the double bass joins in later that the tempo picks up slightly. In contrast, things really take off again on ‘Prove You Wrong’. Riffs coming thick and fast, double bass, epic orchestrations and, in the background, guttural growls from Thomas Johnson, the youngest son of Vicky and Steve. Beautiful guitar melodies also feature. Later on, Vicky’s voice is technically altered. ‘Rise’ is then a little calmer again, with a sing-along chorus and plenty of synth-string passages. The singer soars into the higher registers every now and then. Variety is the key to this album. ‘Impossible Dream’ follows as another ballad, minimalist in its opening moments. Later on, the track becomes more powerful. Vicky makes full use of her vocal range, this time back in the lower register. The closing track, “Show Me’, takes a livelier turn. The singer’s dark timbre suits the riffing very well. But she also shows that she has much more to offer vocally.

The Classic Rock Magazin has described Winter in Eden as “currently the best female-fronted Symphonic Rock band that Britain has to offer”. That is, of course, purely a matter of taste. But Winter in Eden have impressively demonstrated that they are an outstanding Rock band with their latest album, “Never Untold”. It’s great that the band have come out of hiatus and are treating their fans to some new music.

Winter In Eden – Prove You Wrong: https://youtu.be/iDXxDw9iGoI?si=h8WsgnnWm9v3JEca

Lineup:

Vicky Johnson – Vocals
Steve Johnson – Keyboards

Live Guest Musicians:

Ruud Jolie – Guitars (Silence / Prove You Wrong / Rise / Impossible Dream)
Arun Kamath – Guitars (In Plain Sight / The Curse / Nobody / My Imagination / Show Me)
OwenAlec – Drums
Thomas Johnson – Guttural Backing Vocals (Prove You Wrong)

Track list:

• Sleepwalk 1.1 – In Plain Sight
• Sleepwalk 1.2 – The Curse
• Sleepwalk 1.3 – Gone
• Nobody
• My Imagination
• Silence
• Prove You Wrong
• Rise
• Impossible Dream
• Show Me