Heavy Metal - Cameron Winter

By: Alvar Ekeus

Heavy Metal — a stripped back portrayal of Cameron’s Winter’s poignant song writing.

New York based rockers Geese found great success last year with their second album 3D Country. Psychedelic in nature, lead songwriter and vocalist Cameron Winter takes the listener on a trip with a curious cowboy, singing with dopey imagery but still with a foot (or a toe) on the ground. 3D Country was the soundtrack to much of my summer 2023, so I was very excited to hear what Winter’s first solo album, Heavy Metal, would bring forward.

At first listen, Heavy Metal feels hard to digest. Yet it is still a satisfying, joyous yet solemn, listen. Winter’s sporadic vocal range gives us 10 unique tracks spanning nearly 45 minutes. These tracks give us everything from Winter’s realisation that “God is real, I wouldn’t joke about this” to “I am reminded I am stupid”. Despite being stripped back compared to 3D Country, Winter’s lyrics and a carefully constructed instrumental make Heavy Metal just as thematically intense as a Geese release.

Upon a second (and now 10th) listen, I believe that the variety and absurdity of Heavy Metal is plainly supposed to mirror Winter’s, and hence our, daily life, taking the listener through artistic hardship, growing up, love, and fear. This is however not done in the usual way. Winter supposedly recorded in public jam spaces, taxis, and gloomy basements. Bringing the listener even closer to “home”: his real gritty life.

‘Nausicaä (Love will be revealed)’ is perhaps a sort of plead from Winter to, I assume, Nausicaä from Homer’s Odyssey. She is by Homer’s definition; young and beautiful. Winter sings “Tell me how it feels, someone’s here”. He longs to be loved and acknowledged. I found this song particularly impactful, it ends with Winter shouting “Nausicaä!” several times, articulated in a slightly different way every time, making his shouts (perhaps for help) even more realistic. It is easy to fall into the trap of proclaiming greatness after having listened many times and over-studied the lyrics. But throughout Heavy Metal, Winter manages to evoke intense emotions regardless of if you understand his personal imagery.

‘Drinking Age’ is a powerful song starting with just Winter and his piano, less hopeful than Nausicaä, he dreads the future. He sings “I met who I’m gonna be from now on and he’s a piece of shit”. A form of drone then appears to accompany Winter, creating a beautiful middle section before only the keys returning for a powerful “Ohh, ohh, mah-mah-mah-mah, hm, hm.” This song particularly highlights  Winter’s insane vocal range and ability to write about his angst, here it is live, in a public park…

The longest song, and the only single released beforehand, ‘$0’, clocking in at 6 min 43 seconds, is quite cryptic. It ends with this humorous but at the same time deadly serious realisation that “God is real”. I do not know how to interpret it. But it is not necessary to do so. It is, regardless, a beautiful song. 

Heavy Metal might feel too heavy or complex, but it is a carefully assembled album which takes the vocal performances that amazed Geese listeners, and adds the angst and beauty of Winter’s daily life. His voice might take some time to warm up to, but this is an important album given to us just as a tumultuous 2024 comes to an end.