Autumn’s Grief – Dead By The Dawn

Autumn’s Grief
Dead By The Dawn
Label: Inverse Records
Out: December 9^th, 2022
Playing time: 46:08

The debut album “The Dead Don’t Smile” was released in 2021, the year the band was founded. Now the Finns from Autumn’s Grief are releasing their second album “Dead By The Dawn”. The trio has dedicated itself to Symphonic Metal. Yes, I know, this genre has become overcrowded. But every now and then a band stands out from the crowd. According to an e-mail from the label, they also incorporate doom and soundtrack elements. Let’s see if they can achieve a certain independence with this mixture.

“The Tide” starts melodically and keyboard heavy. Noora Virtanen’s voice sounds typical of the genre, in soprano. But she avoids extreme high pitches. A calm midtempo song. “The Sea Of Apathy” starts ballad-like, somewhat harder riffs are softened by synth strings. Later, too, calm but pleasant-sounding melodies dominate. On “Under The Belt Of Orion” the riffs bang a bit more. But here, too, string carpets provide a cheesy underlay. Later, pleasant sounding vocals follow. But everything seems as if it has been heard before. Again, strings introduce a song, now it’s the ballad “Hanging In Midair”. Here the strings remain present for the entire playing time. Strings, strings, strings. In “The Clearing”, these are underpinned with drums that seem hectic in places. “The Dragonfly” offers a little variety. The ballad or midtempo area is left here. Melodic Rock with some slight speed peaks. But already the next ballad follows. Or is “In The Presence Of The Sun” rather an instrumental interlude? Instead of singing, vocals can be heard. But then the next ballad follows with “There Was A Light”. “They Talk To Me” starts with Industrial sounds for a change. Followed by soft riffs. Also, somewhere between ballad and midtempo tearjerker. And at the very end is the piano ballad “Dead By The Dawn”.

Well, for Metal “Dead By The Dawn” lacks a bit of heaviness, for Symphonic Metal additionally the big orchestral arrangements. More could have been done with the quite respectable song writing, indeed should have been done. As it is, the individual songs just burble along. Unfortunately, a bad taste remains after listening.

Autumn’s Grief – Dead by the Dawn (Official Lyrics Video): https://youtu.be/fag7KwZqjk4

Lineup:

Noora Virtanen – Vocals
Santtu Rosén – Guitar, Bass
Ville Skön – Keyboards

Label: Inverse Records

Out: December 9^th, 2022

Playing time: 46:08

Track list:

• The Tide
• The Sea Of Apathy
• Under The Belt Of Orion
• Hanging In Midair
• The Clearing
• The Dragonfly
• In The Presence Of The Sun
• There Was A Light
• They Talk To Me
• Dead By The Dawn