In 1998 the Norwegian quartet Winds assembled, drawing on familiar figures from that nation's metal circles even as their restrained progressive style, shaped by classical influences, contrasts sharply with prevailing notions of Norwegian metal. Keyboardist Andy Winter directs the ensemble while also handling production duties and primary songwriting. Rounding out the lineup are vocalist Lars Eric Si of Khold and Sensa Anima, guitarist Carl August Tidemann from Arcturus and Tritonus, and drummer Jan Axel von Blomberg, widely recognized as Hellhammer through his contributions to Mayhem, Arcturus, the Kovenant, Thorns, and numerous other acts. The group's inaugural outing, the mini-CD Of Entity and Mind, surfaced in 2001 on Italy's Avantgarde imprint. Their debut full-length, Reflections of the I, reached European audiences via Avantgarde in spring 2002, whereas the Southern Californian label the End Records paired it with Of Entity and Mind for a single-disc U.S. edition.