Album Notes

Automne Vein's latest release "The Coming Winter" expands on the inventiveness that made their first album such a unique listening experience. Their sophomore album feels deeper in atmosphere and more dimensional than their first endevor, "Withering Beauty". Listening to the album it's sometimes hard to believe that the songs are so varied in style and form. Musical styles that wouldn't normally be found together on one album somehow make perfect musical and emotional sense in this framework of Brian Henwood and John Vardell's impassioned artistry. Songs like "Primal" and "Resolve" are aggressive, edgy, and raw, while others, such as "pilgrimage" and "still" immerse you in lush, dark electronic atmosphere. The album is very contemplative in nature, which I understand comes partially from one band member's personal experience in Indonesia. "Ka Argo Gede" is the most blatant reference to that event and tells the story of his escape. Much of the songs that follow feel like a pilgrimage of despair, grief, and healing. One of the most powerful songs on the album is "Winter pt 2", a song that lifts it's listener toward the project's horizon, providing an unexpectedly refreshing conclusion to the album's multi-dimensional storyline. Automne Vein continues to astound and seduce. Don't take my word for it, though. Take the journey yourself. You won't be sorry.