Lake of Tears
Forever Autumn


4.5
superb

Review

by relativeworld USER (4 Reviews)
April 23rd, 2011 | 49 replies


Release Date: 1999 | Tracklist

Review Summary: An unprecedentedly introspective record in Lake Of Tears discography that shows band's capability of writing highly diverse songs without sacrificing album's impressive sonic consistency.

Distinctively distinguishable in Lake Of Tears' discography,musical world of the band's masterpiece has an inconsiderable amount of similarities with its former and latter releases.

Forever Autumn adds a lot to the noticeably propelling breakthrough "Crimson Cosmos” and meanwhile trims its metallic elements. While “Crimson Cosmos” psychedelic journey toward 70-influenced gothic corridors is a relatively flexible goth-metal version of some Fields of Nephilim tunes with less dark-hued sound and more metal over-tones, Forever Autumn steps in a soporifically smooth realm to allow the band experience a comparatively lush instrumentation like cello, flute and accordion, in which each piece plays a sharply defined role to shape a harmonic chord progression with a greater stylistic diversity.

From the Depeche-modesque mid-tempo "So Fell Autumn Rain"or jaunty "Pagan Wish" to story-telling low-key A la Wish You Were Here “forever autumn” or downcast ballad-like "The Homecoming" with its progressive nature, a quite strange aspect gives this record its unique sound: folknoir characteristics.

Folknoir influences scattered throughout the record recall tunes like Rome’s To Die Among The Stranger, Current 93’s serene moments of All The Pretty Little Horses or piano/string-driven passages used in Tenhi’s Maaäet to name a few. An easy to notice example of this, is the instrumental track “The Otherwheres” which starts off with a nostalgic piano melody with a gradually uplifting progression that then floats in layers of acoustic guitar and cello, reminder of the apocalyptic-folk vibe in tracks like “Stay” in Sol Invictus’ “In The Rain”. The closing track is also noticeable for its pastoral folk melodies, mostly played by accordion with layers of acoustic guitar and cello followed by emotive electric guitar solos that elevate the song to a wholly different level.

The frequent and yet virtuoistic electric guitar solos are mostly performed by guest musician Magnus Sahlgren, Ex-Dismember member and Tiamat’s lead guitarist during Wildhoney’s recording session who then became a full time Lake Of Tears member in 2004.

Dark romanticism elements of the lyrics are highly suggestive of Edgar Allan Poe’s poem, The Raven. Unceasing presence of evil, unrequited love, never-ending bereavement, anhedonic state of mind are the main themes of the album, portrayed in a narrative style by using Symbolist images and metaphorical notions.

Forever Autumn is a flawlessly executed piece of art with a top-notch production quality that in spite of all the aforementioned similarities sounds authentically unique.


user ratings (87)
4
excellent


Comments:Add a Comment 
Voivod
Staff Reviewer
April 23rd 2011


11000 Comments

Album Rating: 3.5

This is the only Lake of Tears record i have, great gothic metal, but nothing too spectacular, imho.



Your review bro could use more proofreading.



For example, the first paragraph is one run-on sentence that presents severe difficulty in transmitting its actual meaning to the reader.

relativeworld
April 23rd 2011


289 Comments

Album Rating: 4.5

Thanks for the feedback voivod ! yeah the first paragraph was kind of hard to digest, I rewrote that.

anything else ?

I can't call this record simply gothic-metal ! there are some traces in Pagan wish and Demon You...but that doesn't finish there, elements of dream-pop, soft-rock, space rock, psychedelic and more are sensed in this release, I almost always try to recommend at least an album as a similar stuff but this time I couldn't find any.

Voivod
Staff Reviewer
April 23rd 2011


11000 Comments

Album Rating: 3.5

Yeah, this is indeed a transition from their previous gothic/doom metal state to the psychedelic/space rock of post-Neonai era.



It's been quite a while since i last listened to it and i don't remember it in detail, however i remember quite well its overall impact on me, hence the 3.5.

Realm
April 23rd 2011


2512 Comments


yah i kno

FatChickIrl
April 23rd 2011


4095 Comments


nvr heard of this before

relativeworld
April 23rd 2011


289 Comments

Album Rating: 4.5

Give "When My Sun Comes Down" from Crimson Cosmos a spin then come back to this !

This song has got a direct reference to Allan Poe's The Raven...heart-breaking journey of self-discovery ...

What s that Aromatica Germenexcitaci....? OMFG !?

relativeworld
April 23rd 2011


289 Comments

Album Rating: 4.5

The comment about transiton from doom goth-metal era to space rock phase of post-Neonai period is quite wrong.

6 songs out of 9 here, present some totally different styles of composition and instrumental arangement which have nothing to do with whatever Lake Of tears had done before and has done after this album. I wish the review was read completely before making statements. This has nothing to do with passing from one state to another.For example I specified 2 paragraphs about Folknoir vibe of the album which is unexampled in band's releases.





Dreamflight
April 23rd 2011


2307 Comments


Ehee this brings back memories. Great record, that instrumental track in the middle of the album is really beautiful. Not a 4,5 though.

thebhoy
April 23rd 2011


4460 Comments


Are they actually called Lake of Tears? Good God!

relativeworld
April 24th 2011


289 Comments

Album Rating: 4.5

Seems I m the only one who still appreciate this pure piece of beauty as It deserves.



Dreamflight : That track is unbelievable.



Horseshoes : Yeah but you may end up in some stakes set in an unkown planet.





relativeworld
April 24th 2011


289 Comments

Album Rating: 4.5

You know guys, at least writing this made me understand the inner layers of this record which before I was barely aware of.

kveldulf57
June 2nd 2016


68 Comments

Album Rating: 4.5

Great review

Ianman
June 2nd 2016


24 Comments

Album Rating: 4.0

great release and great memories of this cd , not overtly keen on their others sadly but they hit jackpot on here for me .

BallsToTheWall
September 27th 2016


51646 Comments


So fuckin good.

manosg
Emeritus
January 2nd 2017


12710 Comments

Album Rating: 4.5

In a '90s mood tonight. Jamming this one hard.

DungeonBoy
June 8th 2017


9982 Comments

Album Rating: 3.0

Stumbled upon this today, and had really high hopes after hearing So Fell Autumn Rain. Unfortunately the rest didn't really have the same impact as that opener. Not a bad album though.

manosg
Emeritus
June 9th 2017


12710 Comments

Album Rating: 4.5

Part of my teen years soundtrack. Hoped you'd enjoy it more Dungeon but I guess part of its charm was the era it was released.

DungeonBoy
June 9th 2017


9982 Comments

Album Rating: 3.0

I hear you man, I have albums like that for sure. I like this sound though, it reminds me of newer era Sentenced. People say this is the best in their discog so I don't know if I'm going to venture further into their material. Similar recs would be nice though. After a couple listens though it leaves me wondering.. Where DID all the cosmic sailors come from?

Sabrutin
December 9th 2017


9843 Comments


Brighter somehow

Lighter somehow

manosg
Emeritus
December 9th 2017


12710 Comments

Album Rating: 4.5

Really glad to see you on this thread, Sab! Liked the album?



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