Room Thirteen album review of ‘The Failing Light’ (2003 demo), August 2004
[View the article on Room Thirteen's website here]
[Room Thirteen]
"The glowing debut from a shining new light in the UK music scene: Season?s End"
Although it could count as sloppy journalism, Season's End are the type of band Evanescence and Lacuna Coil could never be. For not only does their talent seem to have no boundaries, but lead singer Becki Clark's voice seems incapable of an Amy Lee-esque whine. Instead, it echoes the beauty of Lacuna Coil's Christina Scabbia - minus the dodgy accent. On top of the stunning vocal display Season's End put on, they have the advantage of being Brit-approved when it comes to being heard by stubborn, narrow minded UK music fans who refuse to look beyond their home soil and America for new bands.
Musically, the debut album, "The Failing Light", by Season's End offers a stunning variety of sounds. Tracks such as "A Ghost In My Emotion" are a wild, untameable ocean of twisting melodies, beautiful keyboards with grating guitars occasionally surfacing to add an extra kick to the song. By far the best song on the album, its presence is solidified by the inclusion of David Stanton's gorgeous voice. It's a shame it doesn't appear more frequently on this six-track album of towering proportions. "One Sadness" is a mournful death cry that encapsulates the highlights of the sometimes long-winded Gothic Metal genre. Beginning slowly before a briefly crashing into guitars, it's a changing song that, despite its length, manages to hold your attention. This is mainly thanks to the band, rather than Clark's voice bending into a sombre wail, as the guitars are well placed and work perfectly with the groove-cutting bass. The song picks up by the fourth verse as Stanton breaks in to compliment Clark's voice. It's a fantastic ending to a song that could have gone either way.
Following this, an intro lasting over two minutes. Rather unnecessary, since it's just a deep journey into synth-land but the majority of people who stumble upon this album will suffer no lasting effects. At five minutes and fifteen seconds, track four, "Innocence", is the shortest track on the album, but that doesn't stop Season's End from ramming as much of their deathly goodness into it - Clark's voice reaches new heights of sadness that simply don't seem real. Luckily the following track, "Nothing After All" is much more upbeat if you don't listen too hard to the lyrics, which are much like what has preceded it on this album. With drumming and guitars chugging away like a freight train in the dead of night it's probably the most upbeat track - and the one that sounds the least like any other band out there already, for beneath the surface of the Season's End pond lie other Gothic Metal bands like giant carp.
Cynicism aside, Season's End are a band who have perfected a beautiful sound capable of flourishing like a black rose if given the right conditions. If you're heading for Bloodstock this year, be sure to find your way over to the Femme Fatales stage on Friday the 3rd to witness a promising young band put on their biggest show yet.
10 out of 13
Philippa McMahon of Room Thirteen
http://www.roomthirteen.com/
