The Hallowing is the latest from Massachusetts Autumn Tears, a progressive rock meets classical & chamber music release, as the band has moved on from their previous gothic darkwave sound to a much more grand and traditional style. With soaring vocals from Laurie Ann Haus, each track is steeped in emotion and ethereal nature, while the keyboards from Ted Tringo (gotta love that church organ Ted!), the cello & contrabass from Greg Ball, and the lovely flute & clarinet from Terram Olson, all help create the majestic soundscapes. In addition to the band, there are a host of guest musicians adding French horn, oboe, violin, viola, and harp, giving the ten songs here a healthy dose of classical flavor. Some of the material has a sort of 'film score' element to it, like "Spirit" and "Dies Irae", but Haus' vocals add that operatic quality that makes this stuff pretty unique sounding. For some however the meditative nature of these songs will grow a little tiresome after a while, as the mood and tempo of each piece is rather similar. However, there's a good chance that those into grand and gorgeous sounds will really dig this quite a bit.
Track Listing
1 Dies Irae
2 Keep Me Here
3 Spirit
4 A Joyless Occasion
5 Thrush and Wake
6 Yearning for the Tide
7 The Funeral Bazaar
8 Canticle
9 The Last King Falls
10 The Hallowing
Printer Friendly Page
Send to a Friend
