AUTUMN TEARS Reviews
THE LODGE
Autumn Tears
The Hallowing
Dark Symphonies - Dark 27
Overview: Evocative and haunting, yet lilting and graceful, The Hallowing not only arrives with perfect timing, but it also reassures that the more alternative neoclassical sounds of old are still being devised with their own, incomparable panache - yet allowing pleasurable new styles to breathe within. Having that said, we are now pleasantly surprised with quite a few traditional classical music passages, as well a good dose of genuine instrumentation (such as oboe, french horns and even woodwinds), replacing the synthetic sounds of previous works. Laurie Ann Haus plays an appropriate (yet exceptional) job in handling the ceremonious choirs, while Ted Tringo has cleverly mastered a formula that was able to combine chamber and classical music, without falling flat in sudden idiosyncrasies.
Production: Suitable and clear, without overemphasizing the more crystalline and deeper sounds, encapsulating these ten anthems in one, big aria.
Parting thoughts: Originally, The Hallowing was supposed to be released to a thousand copies worldwide, but due to a very large demand that had it sold out within only three weeks, Dark Symphonies decided to re-release it with an improved layout: need I say more?
SEA OF TRANQUILITY
Autumn Tears
The Hallowing
Dark Symphonies - Dark 27
The Hallowing is the latest from Massachusetts Autumn Tears, a progressive rock meets classical & chamber music release, as the band has moved on from their previous gothic darkwave sound to a much more grand and traditional style. With soaring vocals from Laurie Ann Haus, each track is steeped in emotion and ethereal nature, while the keyboards from Ted Tringo (gotta love that church organ Ted!), the cello & contrabass from Greg Ball, and the lovely flute & clarinet from Terram Olson, all help create the majestic soundscapes. In addition to the band, there are a host of guest musicians adding French horn, oboe, violin, viola, and harp, giving the ten songs here a healthy dose of classical flavor. Some of the material has a sort of 'film score' element to it, like "Spirit" and "Dies Irae", but Haus' vocals add that operatic quality that makes this stuff pretty unique sounding. For some however the meditative nature of these songs will grow a little tiresome after a while, as the mood and tempo of each piece is rather similar. However, there's a good chance that those into grand and gorgeous sounds will really dig this quite a bit.
Pete Pardo
ULTIMATE METAL
Autumn Tears
The Hallowing
Dark Symphonies - Dark 27
Not one to follow the releases that come from Dark Symphonies, there has always been a gnawing on the brain that yours truly was missing something here. They have also skirted the outer edges of metal with some of their albums, and then they will dive headstrong into the metal melting pot with great stuff from Novembers Doom, Morgion, and Hellveto. It is, however, those gothic oriented bands that seem to elude favor from this writer. Then you have a band like Autumn Tears, which has not a thing to do with metal. This is much more in camp with classical music, being influenced by composers such as Haydn or Bach.
Originally released in a limited quantity of one thousand, and apparently sold out within just three weeks, Dark Symphonies saw justification in re-releasing The Hallowing. The band has been plugging away for just over a decade with The Hallowing being their fifth full length release for Dark Symphonies. Supposedly the band used to play a more darkwave or gothic oriented form of music, and used keyboards and samples for their sound. With The Hallowing, Autumn Tears uses a live string section, a few woodwind instruments as well as sparse brass instrumentation. The only vocals to be heard are those of Laurie Ann Haus, which is a haunting, serene vocal style.
It is difficult to pinpoint certain tracks in an album like this, but ?Keep Me Here? is simply beautiful. The flute and piano intertwined together form a bleak outlook, but seem to be lifted by those hopeful vocals. Other songs such as ?The Last King Falls?, ?Yearning for the Tide?, and ?Canticle? are worth hearing. Each has a section that was able to show a band that has reached the pinnacle of their abilities.
It goes without saying that a band like Autumn Tears is not what would normally be played here. However, it is easy to appreciate what this band has created, which is an authentic piece of art. Autumn Tears will appeal to fans that like that classical addition to their collection. If you have a penchant for bands like Elend, Die Verbannten Kinder Evas, or even Dead Can Dance, The Hallowing will have something positive to offer.
Wayward_Son
HEATHEN HARVIST
Autumn Tears
The Hallowing
Dark Symphonies - Dark 27
Whenever I hear Autumn Tears has released a new album, I am dieing to hear it until the second it arrives to me in the mailbox. I have followed this band's career from my first listen on their 2000 full-length Love Poems for Dying Children: Act III - Winter and the broken Angel. I own everything that the band has done up to this point and my only regret is that there isn't more material to be found from them. Autumn Tears' compositions continue to become more complex and more sophisticated as time passes along. They have finally begun adding new members such as the fantastic Clarinet extraordinaire from Maudlin of the Well, Terran Olson, and a previously unknown fellow on classical guitar by the name of Greg Ball. This is a band, and even label, that I could not imagine my life for the past 5 years without knowing. Everything they release is amazing.
Autumn Tears was a musician's dream that was realized at first in the Autumn of 1995. Back then Autumn Tears consisted of just two members: The current mastermind Ted Tringo, and now ex-female vocalist Erika Swinnich. It was through this initial partnership that the very essence of Autumn Tears was born, and through hardships and Ted's own will to push this project, the music has thrived and today Autumn Tears has released now 5 full-lengths. In the beginning the sound was almost cheesey, with a more low-budget sounding keyboard and much less real instrumentation. But the delicacy of the music Ted had created combined with the promising nature of what was to come in later years made the experience not only listenable, but very enjoyable. Autumn Tears has always had a darker, nearly evil appeal to their music. With much pipe organ and questionable at best lyrics, the project put forth an image of an almost murderous madness.
Today, we see Autumn Tears in a light with a much more adult sound. With newer instrumentation and members, it sounds as if Ted is finally realizing his dream with a quartet of very talented and serious musicians. The Hallowing finds Autumn Tears no longer being just one man's fight to release beautiful sophisticated and dark music, but a complete entity unto its own. With more instruments such as upright contrabase and real flutes and clarinets thrown into the mix, the sound becomes thicker and more lifelike in appeal. A project like this has been my dream as well for many years now but I simply do not have the time nor financial resources to put something of this majestic magnitude together. I personally look up to Ted Tringo as a mentor, and, quite honestly, the beauty found on this release is almost too much for me to take. Music does not get better than this.
I suppose the real thickened state of atmosphere throughout this album is also brought about by the session members whom were welcomed into this release. Through them we are greeted by french horn, violin and viola, and an instrument ever present throughout the album, the oboe. There is even a session harpist on the title track, "The Hallowing". The beauty in the music on The Hallowing is only thickened by the always incredible artwork featured throughout the booklet. It is hard to tell just how these images were made but they are an aesthetically pleasing example of rainy evenings here in America.
I leave you with this word of advice. If you want music to continue surviving on this planet, if you want to be able to continue hearing beauty in the aural levels of existence, if you want to see music thrive and continue to exist, please support these smaller labels. I am a black metal fan first and foremost, but let's face it, black metal productions and instrumentation has so little put into it in the face of an album like this. There has probably been years of work put into these songs, and a great deal of money at that. Dark Symphonies and their affinity for supporting those musically diverse, genius, and talented bands, deserves your support. I know I say this a lot for good albums, but I do not want to see a label like this one fade away because people in this era do not realize the importance of music because humans are pathetic lazy bacteria whom would rather sit on their collective fat arses and download music from crooked journalists who post these promos online than actually help the music they love by paying for the releases. Music is the soundtrack to our lives. Without it, this world is grey. Support your underground music.
Lord Lycan
REDJMUSIC (BMI)
Autumn Tears
The Hallowing
Dark Symphonies - Dark 27
This band continues to make beautiful music with hardest working vocalist: Laurie Ann Haus at the helm. A metal renaissance and a classical base makes up the music of this band's work and influences. The latest cd "The Hallowing" is a dark church in a forest of fairies. It's sad, dark, light, Summery and Autumn. Laurie Ann's vocal are strong and powerful, the musicians top notch and emotional and seasoned to carry this music into its ethereal journey. It's very much like listening to a dark classical piece of music 10 parts to it. Very moving and their finest work to date. Their cd is only $8 + s/h in the states.