Black Autumn - Losing the Sun

Black Autumn

Losing the Sun

by Cody “CC Spearhead” Campbell at 27 September 2014, 4:00 PM

From the foggy banks of Hemer, Germany, Black Autumn delivers a dark and brooding presence with its fifth release “Losing The Sun”. This seven track album vividly represents the band name and album title with reverb-laden riffing and a morose intonation that engulfs the listener like a sinister fog rolling over the soul.

There is a well-established ambience within this blackened/doom recording, building from emotional piano/organ/synth execution. Solid production enhances the darkness and heavy reverb contrasts the soft and fragile piano play. There is diversity in sound between light and dark, soft and hard primarily staying in a weary gray area in wait for the next change.

“Losing The Sun” begins with the title track creeping from silence into an explosive introduction of low-tempo riffing and percussion. Songs creep at a crawling pace and drag the atmosphere south like any good doom album should. Menacing vocals come in around the three minute mark and slither into your ear with coarse and slimy scales. Vocals present the black side of the metal spectrum but are kept low (perhaps purposefully) in the mix. The vocal layering is also noticeable at times which sounds good but does lose some of the organic feel of evil. Coming from a one-manned project the sound is surprisingly full and on target in aesthetic.

Moving through the midsection of the album there is repetition in the back and forth between heavy and tender. My Dying Bride is a strong sonic benchmark for Black Autumn although this release never truly realizes its black metal aggressive potential. Songs such as “St. Elm’s Fire” and “Latitia” present entrancing chords with stints of aggressive downbeat rhythms. Additionally, “The Distance” provides an experience of melancholy grandeur softly described as epic. Throughout the album guitar and piano chording is pleasant to the ear in a doom/black metal interwoven pattern. A great listen for the non-doom/black metal elitist as either of the aforementioned would quarrel with the lack of either the rawness in black metal or sadness in doom. “Losing The Sun” instead observes positive aspects of both these genres to drag the listener down a discontent trail of distress.