Autumn
My New Time

Once upon a time in the Netherlands, a mysterious voice whispered to the ears of many emerging rock bands the possibility of achieving international success by facing a daunting test of courage: becoming poor imitators of The Gathering or Within Temptation, loading their music with all the stereotypes of a now-saturated and overused genre, that of atmospheric metal.

Necessary requirements for embarking on this journey included a warm female voice, keyboards in abundance and guitars never too oppressive (bass and drums often took a back seat). Thus, driven by this voice, our Autumn set out on their path, facing the test they set for themselves with the release of various albums, with which unfortunately they never achieved the much-hoped-for success. Some, discouraged, abandoned the venture, leaving the remaining members at a crossroads: continue chasing the false promises of that voice or regain their senses and lost originality? Or abandon the game?

Fortunately, Autumn's story is not yet over; a fortuitous change in direction led the band into 2007, the year of rebirth. With a renewed line-up following the sudden departure of some members (including founder Meindert Sterk) and a fresh recording contract with Metal Blade, they are finally ready to get back on track. The harsh blows of a not-so-glorious recent past have been absorbed; no longer does the beautiful tale of symphonic metal enchant the hearts of these young people, the events of recent times have brought into Autumn's style quite varied influences, reworked with extreme care in order to offer something truly new, justifying the title given to the release. The singing of Nienke De Jong now retains only crumbs of its gothic legacy, as it is tired of the usual vocalizations and more than ever now dedicated to finding the right interpretation, rich in tone and enveloping to listen to, magnificent in expressiveness. The product of such fine work is called "My new time", a concentrate of romantic notes, introspective inflections, wave rhythms, and polished progressive reminiscences mixed into an emotional tour de force that will require many listens to complete. It is a special album because it is hard to compare to the work of others (especially considering the numerous similarities found among other Dutch bands), intelligent because it surprises the listener from its first seconds of life.

The opener "Satellites" is full of dark shades, characterized by a chorus that screams gray unease, reminiscent of the best of the Cranberries, and a break of pure transcendence that calls into question the most passionate prog metal. "Closest friends conspire" instead represents the triumph of seventies influences; the guitars become fluid and contemplate the majesty of a Hammond with twilight tones. "Blue wine" begins with an incredible crescendo that sees all the instruments progressively blend to explode into a particularly engaging riff and join a voice that has now learned how to best navigate these tracks, crafting masterful counterpoints in the final moments of the piece. "Angel of desire" somewhat follows the script of the latest Within Temptation, but Nienke's vocals sweep away any semblance of plagiarism and transform the mood of their compatriots into a bittersweet dreamlike experience. This time the singer represents the true added value of the track, despite the full support of her competent team, never too aggressive and at the same time not inclined to fall into sweetness. What follows is a title track with rhythms and phrases almost akin to hard rock, where electronic ambitions from the keyboard occasionally peek through. But now it is truly time to return to drawing romantic and decadent scenarios: "Communication on opium" flaunts a set of progressive embellishments and a more heartfelt interpretation in the solos. The contribution of acoustic sounds further helps to revive the autumnal mood with gentle notes that catch the ear but violently destroy any emotional barrier.

With an attack reminiscent of Lacuna Coil's "Comalies" period, "Twisted and turned" comes to life, quite anchored to the alternation of calm verses and aggressive refrains on a reduced scale, somewhat liquefied in sound. "Shadowmancer" returns to more familiar tracks for the band, which shows its skill in handling the unpredictable rhythms of the piece. Notable is the work of new additions Mats Van Der Valk (guitar), Jan Munnik (keyboard), and Jerome Vrielink (bass). Autumn's psychedelic movements, however, reach their peak with the arrival of "Forget to remember (Sunday morning)", a good starting point for developing an even more personal and compelling sound. Spleen taken to the stars, music that becomes an otherworldly experience, consecrating them among those musicians who are giving a new face to a practically decayed genre (among which I remember the fabulous The Provenance). The nervousness of "State of mind" preludes "Epilogue (What’s done is done)", an elegiac exit for a formation that finally breathes fresh air over recent discographic releases and suggests even more promising results for future releases.

For now, just enjoy these eleven pearls, these eleven intense emotions that probe the soul in search of deep and absolute intimacy, without which "My new time" cannot be appreciated, cannot live, cannot realize its hope, the possibility, far from latent, of melting even the most hardened souls in its embrace of satisfying melancholy.