Melodic Hard Rock Today album review of ‘The Failing Light’ (2003 demo), June 2004
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[Melodic Hard Rock Today]
After years of hard work Season`s End released their debut The Failing Light in November 2003. Based in Hampshire, in the United Kingdom, the band try to avoid being labeled with genres, and concentrate on playing powerful, melodic and emotional music. Season`s End enjoy playing live and a particular highlight was the Whitby Gothic Festival, Halloween 2002, playing to in excess of 1000 people. To date, the band has played numerous shows around the UK; including several in London. The CD has only six songs, but a playing time of almost 50 minutes, and the shortest song is 5,15, and that mean`s that the rest of the songs on the CD is long.
Their self-financed debut from November last year, The Failing Light, is one of the best independent releases I have heard in a very long time. A while ago I got in contact with vocalist Becki Clark after downloaded the full song A Ghost In My Emotion from Season`s End`s website. After receiving the debut I have played it a lot the last few weeks, and it`s getting better and better each time I hear it. Season`s End says self that they don't want to be categorized in any genres, but I find it hard not to call them a Gothic metal band. When I hear the quality of songs and lyrics on this CD, I can`t understand why bands like Season`s End have to finance the debut by themselves. I think it is just another proof of that the record companies often are picking up the wrong bands. But I am quite * shore that the next album from Season`s End will be released by a serious record company! Becki is a good singer and takes the songs up to a high level with her lovely voice. The opening track Touch starts with nicely played strings, before the guitars, keyboards, drums and bass comes into the song. Already on the first verse in the song we hear the quality in Becki`s voice, who sometimes reminds me of a cool mix between Sabine Edelsbacher from Edenbridge and Ann May of Evanescence. Most of the songs on the CD are very long, but I just see that as a very positive thing, because the music they are playing never get boring anyway. A Ghost In My Emotion is my absolute favorite on the CD, it`s a duet between Becki and guitarplayer David Stanton. The changes between the dark and the beautiful parts in this song plus a very nice melody line and a great refrain takes the song up to a very high level of gothic metal today. The ten minute long One Sadness is also a killer song with a lot of different changes in tempo and the ballad- like parts in this song is dreamy and beautiful. Innocence starts with piano and vocals, this song is the first I will call a ballad from Season`s End. I can`t find any negative things to say about The Failing Light, all the songs are great and nicely performed. The debut is printed in 1000 copies, much because of that it is a self -financed CD, so buy yourself a copy before it`s too late!
Arne Asbolmo of Melodic Hard Rock Today
http://www.melodichardrocktoday.tk
