Autumnal [Import]

Dark Moor | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (May 26, 2009)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Import
• Label: Scarlet Italy
• ASIN: B001O8C5QY
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #159,888 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Brilliant Spanish power metal, among the best European power metal bands in existence. Definitely stands the test of time!

YEAR: 2008

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Symphonic Metal at it's best., December 18, 2010

By 

Weston C. Portman "Wes Portman" (Bellingham WA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Autumnal (Audio CD)

WARNING: Dark Moor stopped playing Power Metal in 2003, they changed genre and lead singer and now play Symphonic Metal with classical elements. If you want another "The Gates of Oblivion" listen to "The Hall of The Olden Dreams".

After Elisa Martin left, Dark Moor has done some experimentation with some success over the last several years. They didn't manage to get much attention until "Tarot", their third release with Alfred Romero on vocals--a mediocre and often times silly release at best. However, two years later Dark Moor has nailed it down with "Autumnal", an album showing all the bands maturity, beautiful song writing, and genius that all their experimentation resulted in.

"Autumnal" is a completely solid and classic Symphonic Metal album. It is rare indeed to hear a band of this genre with male vocals, yet alone a band that plays such unique music all together. Dark Moor uses classic musical themes and bases songs off historical figures and stories to create very powerful and magical songs. This genre may not be for you, the focus is not guitar solos or riffs (though this album has plenty great ones), but rather classical based vocal melodies with female background vocals exploring different classical music themes. Though I hesitate in making any comparisons, be aware that typically Symphonic Metal has been defined by bands such as Nightwish, Therion, Epica, Sirenia, and Within Temptation (mostly female vocals). Dark Moor plays a similar kind of music but in a very original way and with male vocals. It is somewhat opera like symphonic metal with classical elements. Some songs might not click with you but that's the nature of their writing. Songs that I love are, "On The Hill of Dreams", "Don't Look Back", and "The Enchanted Forest".

By all means give this album a shot, their 2010 release is just as good if not better.

4 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars WINTER IS COMING . . ., May 19, 2009

By 

EMAN NEP - See all my reviews

This review is from: Autumnal (Audio CD)

Just received the latest from Spain's DARK MOOR and gave it a spin . . . but I'm afraid it didn't spin my wheels like I was hoping.

In their last album, Tarot, all the songs were unified in their subject matter. This time around it seems like they're scrounging around for inspiration wherever they can find it. Some songs are inspired from plays, ballet and legend/mythology, but some seem to have no particular inspiring source at all.

Inspiration aside, how did the songs sound?
Honestly, the only two that I really liked were "Phantom Queen" and "An End So Cold". The former is pretty uptempo and sounds like any of their better songs off their last two albums. The latter is less frantic but in a good way.

There were a few songs that I classified as "maybes": "Swan Lake", "Faustus", "Don't Look Back", "For Her" and "Fallen Leaves Waltz". Many of these had their moments, but didn't entertain me throughout.

Finally there were the songs that just didn't do anything for me at all: "On the Hill of Dreams", "When the Sun is Gone", "The Enchanted Forest" and "The Sphinx". In general I found that this album to be more of a symphonic/power metal mix and I didn't really hear any exceptional guitar parts. In fact, I think the orchestra sounded better most of the time. Wasn't too big on their female vocalist though--not bad, just average.

The CD comes with a booklet with all the lyrics. If you like the cover art it's worth going to the artist's homepage (printed on the back of the booklet).

If this is what autumn brings for DARK MOOR, I fear for what comes with winter.

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars AWESOME CD, March 29, 2010

By 

Orlando Baez - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Autumnal (Audio CD)

Dark Moor Returns to form with another Solid CD. After hearing the Excellent Cd "Beyond the Sea" I had high expectations for the follow up "Tarot" and boy was Tarot a disaster. The concept of Tarot was good, but the songs themeselves Failed miserably, they were boring , half of them beigns with the word "the" only a few tracks on there stand out.

Thats not the case with their latest "Autumnal". Just like "Beyond The Sea" EVERY song on "Autumnal" stands out. The first single "On the Hill of dreams" is VERY catchy, specially the bridge with the female vocalist doing the harmonies. Amazing song. "For Her" is another amazing song with great melodies and catchy chorus. The openning track "Swan Lake" is long but effective and very catchy. The CD has orchestration sprinkled here and there but in a good way and makes the music solid and worth listening to over and over.