Autumn
Altitude

THE REVIEW

I admit I discovered Autumn by chance during a Gathering concert in Milan, and was captivated by the singer's voice, the sweetness and beauty of their songs, their energy, and their clean yet edgy sounds. So I decided to listen to their latest "Altitude."
Therefore, in my review, you will not find comparisons with their previous works or parallels between current and past tracks, but only the impressions of someone discovering Autumn with this latest album.
Autumn's offering is a very melodic metal, not trivial but not too complex either, with piano, keyboard, and female vocals.

The opener "Paradise Nox" gets straight to the point with a full guitar-keyboard riff, then a break leaves room for the young singer's voice, which is clean, warm, and gritty exactly as her live performance was, conveying all her enthusiasm for her music.
The piece then continues with double vocals, tempo changes, keyboard inserts, and a melody that is really easy to remember and sing after a few listens. It proceeds with "Liquid Under Film Noir" which alternates between paced rhythms and more open and airy choruses; "Skydancer" is what I consider the best track on the album, a little gem that skillfully combines electronic sounds, rough guitar riffs, and melodic embroidery, all carried by Marjan's voice which, even without interpreting a vocally challenging piece, manages to be so sweet that it makes this song a little jewel.

"Syncro-Minds" manages to keep the pathos of "Altitude" high, with a beautiful piece sung over guitar arpeggios and soft keyboard layers that gradually reveal their more "rock" soul; "The Heart Demands" has a more direct, fast-paced approach, with a very metal main riff and an unforgettable chorus to sing at the top of your lungs!
Also very beautiful is "Cascade (for a Day)" and the almost-acoustic "Answer Never Questioned," where Marjan is accompanied only by guitar and keyboard, while the instrumental finale becomes electric and makes way for the drums as well.
It then closes with "Autumn," 6 minutes where the guitars take the lead and draw interesting instrumental interweavings with their solos, while Marjan's voice gently guides us to the end of this last piece.
What a great discovery Autumn is! I apologize to those who have followed them for a long time, I'll do my mea culpa without you having to tell me...

Anyway, in conclusion, I found this "Altitude" a beautiful album, which is pushing me to learn more about this group. Again, I can't make comparisons and say if this is better than their previous ones, yet anyone who appreciates good metal with female vocals cannot miss it.
"Altitude" far surpasses albums from more famous bands like Evanescence or Lacuna Coil; you will find tracks that make you want to headbang, songs where it will be hard to resist not singing, that you'll find yourself whistling the next day, or that will stick in your mind.

For me, "Altitude" is an absolute must-have!