PlanetMosh Keeping it Metal
“Cold Comfort” is the fifth album from Dutch heavy rock band Autumn. Autumn are a band that I’ve heard about regularly but for some reason I’d never got round to listening to them till now. After listening to the album a few times I wish I hadnt put off listening to them for so long – this is great music.
Erik-Jan Dodd, Autumn’s live sound engineer since the My New Time era, was put in charge of producing the new album. The album was recorded at D&T Audioproductions which is run by Erik-Jan Dodd and Cees Thomassen, and is located at the famour 013 club in Tilburg. By using the bands normal gear plus a collection of vintage amps and equipment and breaking out of their comfort zone, they have managed to record an album with a progressive experimental feel to it.
Comments on a couple of the songs..
“The Scarecrow” opens with a haunting guitar sound before the beautiful vocals of Marjan kick in, and then a minute later the rest of the band join in for the main part of the song and things get a lot heavier before mellowing out a bit again. There are several changes of pace during this rather excellent song.
“Alloy” is a beautiful gentle slower paced track where the gentle instrumental sounds allow Marjan’s voice to really be the focus of attention.
“Black stars in a blue sky” is a great hard rock track with good solid guitars and great vocals.
Marjan’s beautiful warm voice is undoubtedly a highlight of the album, but the music is equally important. The album has an interesting mix of styles – primarily hard rock but with definite prog elements to it, and it also includes slower more gentle parts as well.
Cold Comfort is due for release on November 4th via Metal Blade records.
Autumn are:
Marjan Welman – Vocals
Mats van der Valk – Guitars, Backing vocals
Jan Munnik – Piano, Synths, Samples
Jens van der Valk – Guitars, Backing vocals
Jeroen Vrielink – Bass
Jan Grijpstra – Drums
Track listing:
1. The scarecrow
2. Cold comfort
3. Black stars in a blue sky
4. Retrospect
5. Alloy
6. End of sorrow
7. Naeon
8. Truth be told (exhale)
9. The Venamoured
