Witherfall

Curse Of Autumn

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Genre: Melodic Metal.
Released: 05/03/2021
Via Century Media

Album Review: Witherfall – Curse Of Autumn

Witherfall are back with their third album ‘Curse of Autumn’. This highly anticipated successor of ‘A Prelude To Sorrow’ has finally arrived after three years and fans have been eating up each single that has dropped from the album. The album that’s being released through Century Media promises to be a step-up for the dark melodic metal up-and-comers. I have been given the privilege of revving the new album so without further adieu, here are my thoughts on what is sure to be a rollercoaster of an album.

The album kicks off with an instrumental titled ‘Curse Of Autumn’ that sets the scene for what is about to unfold. A great introduction to the band’s capability of switching from melody to heavy as hell. It isn’t long before I found myself under attack from a barrage of percussion and fast-paced riffs. ‘The Last Scar’ doesn’t plan on taking any prisoners as it raises the intensity of the record tenfold. It became apparent very quickly that Witherfall are extremely gifted musicians with a flurry of complex riffs and percussion topped off with a powerful vocal performance from Joseph Michael. If you’re a fan of melodic guitar solos this album is for you as it’s chocked full to the brim with them.

Following that, I was met with ‘As I Lie Awake’. The second single from the album boasts a heavier feel that is sure to have fans headbanging along. An infectious beat looms large underneath a musical masterclass. The song just works well with each component of the track fitting into place beautifully. Jake Dreyer is a monster on his axe, producing memorable licks and solos that tack the track to a whole nother level. A truly remarkable song is followed by ‘Another Face’. Josephs vocals shine bright throughout this one and its an excellent example of his vocal range and capabilities. Too many melodic metal bands rely on solos and technical prowess to get fans going, however, Witherfall can captivate you with the simple musical phrases, as well as blow you away with more complex sections. An impressive start to the record, that’s for sure!

‘Tempest’ opens with a wonderful array of styles and moods. The first minute and a half are a melodic instrumental that paints a vivid image of the type of song you’re about to embark down. I found myself glued to the unique bassline played by Anthony Crawford throughout this one. It almost carries you along with the song itself up until the heavy chugging riffs return to break the sequence fairly abruptly. The track seems to flow in an unusual way with sections that feel slightly out of place. Nevertheless, I could still find enjoyment from the majority of the track. A solid track to say the least. Continuing down the album, the short and mostly acoustic title track ‘Curse Of Autumn’ creates a break in the action before ending with a powerful assault of guitars and percussion.

‘The Unyielding Grip Of Each Passing Day’ continues the high-intensity assault started by the ‘Curse Of Autumn’ outro. This instrumental track seems like a spotlight for Jake to show off his shredding capability and he takes the opportunity perfectly. From breakneck sweep picking to melodic scales, the song will have any guitar fan drooling from the mouth. Up next is ‘The Other Side Of Fear’. This beast of a song needs a warning that you may end up with a broken neck due to the sheer amount of headbanging it’ll have you doing. It also boasts a powerful chorus throughout that will live rent-free in your head for weeks. This one is a highlight of the album without a doubt.

‘The River’ is an interesting song. It provides you with a Ying Yang like perspective of what the band has to offer. Almost cut perfectly in half with the first part being a demonstration of the band’s ability to carry a song acoustically then the second part being a truly remarkable display of their ability to crush the melodic metal sound in a heavy yet somehow still subtle way. I highly recommend everyone checking this one out if you’re new to the band.

The penultimate song is a colossus if I’ve ever seen one. Coming in at a staggering 15:24, ‘… And They All Blew Away’ takes you on a captivating journey of empowerment. The song explores an interesting outlook on those who have done you wrong and how you yearn for the power to be able to rid yourself of them. The monster of a song constantly changes up style to keep the listener entertained with contrast and sheer musical ability. Despite the length of the song, it still manages to feel refreshing to hear multiple times which is something I’ve found to be very difficult to pull off with a song of this nature. A great demonstration of all the styles Witherfall are capable of weather that be the calm melodic stuff, or the heavy as hell sections that just shock the melodic metal system.

The final track of the album is ‘Long Time (Acoustic Version)’. The song itself is a great listen however I feel as though it doesn’t do much to tie the album up. I can’t help but feel a little disappointed by the way the album ends as I feel that ‘Long Time’ could have served better as a bonus track or a stand-alone single. A really unfortunate end to what has been an exceptional display of musical ability from Witherfall.

Overall, I feel that this album is a great addition to Witherfall’s discography. It’s an incredible display of what this band has to offer to the melodic metal world and features some truly remarkable moments that I will be listening to for years to come. It does, however, suffer from a very weak ending which unfortunately hurts the album as a whole. With that being said I still recommend giving the album a listen for yourself as the majority of the tracks deserve all the recognition they can get.