Lay Of The Autumn – Of Love And Sorrow
Release Date: 25th October 2024
Label: Rockshots Records
Order/Stream
Genre: Symphonic Metal, Power Metal.
FFO: Sonata Arctica, Stratovarius, Nightwish.
Review By: Mark Waight
A superb new band on the Symphonic and Power Metal Scene, Lay Of The Autumn, are just about to release their highly anticipated debut album Of Love And Sorrow. If you haven’t heard of Lay Of The Autumn then you soon will because they have already built up quite the following on the back of a couple of well received singles released earlier this year.
Although Lay Of The Autumn are theoretically in their infancy as a band they already have plenty of pedigree in their fold with former members of ERIA, Mysterya, Ravenword, Choirs of Veritas, Chronosfear and Embrace of Souls helping to make up their number. All this experience does indeed shine through in abundance, as the album portrays a band with a much longer history.
Lay Of The Autumn is Iryna ERIA Boyarkina (vocals), Davide Scuteri (Keyboard, composer), Cesare Ferrari (bass), Davide Lovecchio (guitars) and Michele Olmi (drums), plus guest musician Andrea Gambaro (growl vocals on Thrown Away and Of Love And Sorrow).
When It Rains is a beautiful instrumental introduction to Of Love And Sorrow and sets the whole album up nicely before Flowing Tears kicks into gear. This stunning track is a pleasure to behold, and tears of joy will almost certainly flow when you hear it for the first time.
Lost In Your Eyes has a more modern slant to it as it slowly builds in intensity to some excellent dreamy vocals from Iryna Boyarkina. These are the sort of compositions that make Symphonic Metal such an awesome genre! Slower and deeply emotional track After All This Time? Always is simply breathtaking and if you have a pulse cannot fail to move you.
Heavier and darker song Thrown Away makes use of growling male vocals to perfectly offset Iryna Boyarkina’s operatic style vocals in the most metal track yet! Hopefully, Lay Of The Autum won’t Undergo Deconstruction as they are currently creating music of such high quality and this high tempo full on track is no exception.
Roller coaster of a ballad Love You To Death is absolute perfection as it envelops you, picks you up and carries you away with a wonderful piece of fairytale storytelling. Released as a single, instrumental track, Si Sta Come D’Autunno Sugli Alberi Le Foglie is crafted with skilled musicianship and cannot fail to impress you with its gothic undertones and sheer scale! This band is SO GOOD!
Title track Of Love And Sorrow takes up the reigns and carries us briskly forward with its quickened pace, harder riff and pure power. Wicked! We have now reached the end and Who Is To Blame, well Lay Of The Autumn are of course for taking us on such an enjoyable and memorable adventure. We should however thank them for finishing off in style and leaving our appetites whetted for more.
Of Love And Sorrow is a rock solid album, and all fans of Symphonic Power Metal should consider checking it out and adding Lay Of The Autumn to their playlists. Every track stands up well individually and each would make a good single release should they choose to do so. Recommended!
(4 / 5)
