Live4Metal album review of ‘The Failing Light', September 2005
[View the article on Live4Metal's website here]
[Live4Metal]
For those of you not aware of the Mithras/Terrorizer debacle a few years back, it concerned some misguided fool declaring Mithras' "Forever Advancing ...... Legions" album the best debut by a British band ever. Beating the likes of Maiden, My Dying Bride, Cradle of Filth and Black Sabbath etc... With that in mind, I'm choosing my words carefully with this album. It's a pretty safe bet to say that bar Sarah Jezebel Diva, Season's End vocalist Becki Clark is probably the finest female vocalist we've produced within the realms of the Metal World. Which puts Season's End, the band, in the position of being the 1st female fronted band from the UK that can realistically challenge Europe's growing domination of the genre. And I've deliberately steered away from using the word Gothic. Lacuna Coil, Nightwish, Within Temptation often get lumped into the same category, which is utter bullshit. And trying to pigeonhole Season's End isn't that easy either. Whether they are Gothic, Symphonic, Doom or elements of all three, the trait they share with their peers is one of quality music.
Season's End have me in a quandary. This cd is the one I've played the most this year, easily a 100 times and counting. But the aura surrounding it all is impossible for me to put into words. I love everything about this album. The songs ooze with passion and maturity, the melodies are forever swimming around in my head, often as I wake up in the middle of the night. But trying to describe my feelings into simple layman's terms, is something I'm struggling with.
The easy bit, is to say that Season's End have a distinctive British edge to their sound. The sweeping lead guitars hark back to the days of classic Paradise Lost, MDB etc... But I guess inevitably, the first thing you notice are the vocals. And not just the dulcet tones of Becki Clark. Not only does David Stanton provide the guitars and bass on the album, he ain't half bad behind the mic. Ghost in my Emotion sees a duet between the two maestro's with David's clear tones a perfect partner for Becki's flawless pitch. The process is repeated on Nothing After All, which reeks of emotion and despair. As with Lacuna Coil, the male-female sparring works a treat. And dare I say it, on this song, they are right up there with the Italians. One Sadness works in yet another way. Becki sings alone, to an atmospheric backdrop, with the ever present keys of Dave Smith providing the warmth. The song builds to a crescendo, before David's vocals take us down a rocking path. Becki takes the plaudits at the end with her exquisite vocals laid over a platform of pure passion. It's one of those, "if you can't feel this, you must be dead" scenarios. The slower moments on the album, the atmospheric, almost tranquil Innocence, resplendent with it's Pink Floyd(ish) intro and the album closer Celestia, provide the moody textures for what is essentially an upbeat album. The latter is a Doom laden masterpiece... kind of. While it is melancholic, it's devoid of misery, because it's so easy on the ear. Which is where my categorization problems lie. The changes in styles are all natural and flow freely, but how can you call a band Doom, when within seconds of misery they are flying high and joyously? Opener Touch feels quite morose and confined for the first 3 minutes, then an atmospheric segue feels the mood lift and the vocals are captivating and soaring. And the galloping mid-section, punctuated by Paul White's bass drum is far from downbeat. And just to confuse the fuck out of me, the repeated line of "How long has it been since you've felt loved?" brings my mood right back down to the forlorn gutter.
This re-release of their The Failing Light album in a super sleeky and sexy digipack, is an amazing debut. I received a copy of the original format a few months ago, so I was already completely in love with the material before this (slightly) remixed version with a very nice video clip, headed my way. And allowing the extra time to fully absorb the material, I'll stick my neck out and say Season's End will be snapped up by a big label and will be in the studio with a top notch producer for their 2nd album... if the material matches this one. Never mind the future, absorb the beauty of the present at www.seasons-end.com
Steve Green of Live4Metal
http://www.live4metal.com
