Mostly Autumn - Ghost Moon Orchestra

Coming both suddenly and after what feels like an age, Mostly Autumn have finally released their second album since Olivia Sparnenn took the vocal reins. Ghost Moon Orchestra is a shift in style for Mostly Autumn, presumably to take advantage of the abilities of their new singer.

Ostensibly this is a loose concept album about the titular Ghost Moon Orchestra, a supernatural array of spiritual musicians playing the music of the world. From the lyrics, it’s apparent that the orchestra of malevolent, the devil himself seeing competition in the race to damnation. When you hear the orchestra, they’re playing your song. And when you hear your song, your time is up.

In fact only a few tracks appear to feature the Ghost Moon Orchestra itself, including the superb album opener Unquiet Tears. Combining the best of Heartful Of Sky’s disquieting sections with a new symphonic sound really showcases Olivia’s vocals and shows her to be more than just Heather Findlay MkII.

This style is continued on and off through the album, in particular on the title track and Wild Eyes Skies. It’s a departure from their usual style, but seems to have injected some much needed energy into the release after the pleasant but ultimately forgettable Go Well Diamond Heart.

It’s said that one should take the rough with the smooth, though, and there is some rough on this album. Most particularly track 3, a Josh-fronted blues rocker entitled The Devil And The Orchestra. In fact, Bryan’s vocals seem weak and, in most cases, off key until track five. The trademark lyrical clunkers are there, too. “Some of you buggers go up to eleven” is a terrible lyric to include in an otherwise wonderfully atmospheric track, and “hungry” only has two syllables. You’ll know it when you hear it. It’s jarring.

The rest of the album from track five is back on form, though, with the previously noted Wild Eyes Skies being the pinnacle from which Top Of The World carries it through the finish line.

Overall, then, this is a good album with a healthy dose of the new symphonic style complementing some good, traditionally Mostly Autumnal tracks. Get rid of track 3 entirely and take Bryan’s parts out of tracks 1, 2 and 4 and this would be great album. As it is it’s tainted with a frustrated annoyance as each clunky, missung note and lyrical faux pas detracts from the listening experience. It’s a shame because it feels like, had it gone once more through the mangle, all these kinks could have been ironed out. Still, I shall continue to listen because the good is very good, and the bad is not so bad that it ruins the experience completely.

Except track 3. I always skip track 3.

Metal of Middle Earth

J.R.R. Tolkien's Lord of the Rings has leapt into the public consciousness since the release of Peter Jackson's epic films in the early years of the 21st century. It has provided society with a fantasy framework for generations, and has more recently become an accepted part of the zeitgeist, with Frodo Baggins and the One Ring being well known even to those who would normally never read fantasy.

But long before the world got Hobbit fever, the metal scene was drawing inspiration from the entire Middle Earth universe for lyrical themes and band names. Recently I've been listening to Summoning, a black metal band from Austria who feature the Middle Earth mythology as a primary source of their subject matter. With album names like Minas Morgul and Dol Guldur it's pretty blatant.

Of course, using such well established fantasy lore as inspiration can be seen as something of a cop out. All the hard work is done, and you just have to sing songs about it. However, the sheer range of metal styles out there, all drawing from one common source, is incredible. Many of the bands are black metal, as befits the fantasy theme. But others may surprise.

Summoning

As previously mentioned, Summoning have long drawn from Tolkien's well for inspiration. Their later works feature a more epic sound, with choirs and (simulated) orchestras taking the folk/black metal songs to levels more fitting to Middle Earth's grandeur. They have even, on occasion, written lyrics in the black language of Mordor, although there are few now who understand it.

Ephel Duath

And now for something completely different. Ephel Duath are an avante-garde progressive hardcore punk/jazz fusion band. It's hard to even begin to imagine what that sounds like. Named for the western mountains of the land of Mordor, Ephel Dúath, the band's involvement with the LotR mythology starts and ends with the name. Have a listen, and see if your brain can handle it.

Fornost Arnor

I have written about Fornost Arnor before after discovering their latest album, Death Of A Rose. Moving from symphonic black metal stylings to something more progressive, Fornost Arnor have been compared favourably to the styling of Opeth. Named for the capital city of Arthedain in the land of Arnor, Fornost Erain.

Cirith Ungol

Cirith Ungol were a doom metal band from California between 1972 and 1992. Possibly the oldest LotR themed metal band that I am aware of. Unlike some LotR named bands, Cirith Ungol were both named for and drew inspiration from Lord of the Rings. Cirith Ungol is the pass into Mordor in which Shelob the spider lives, and in which Frodo was nearly devoured. It is close to another place popular with the metal crowd, Minas Morgul.

Minas Morgul

Minas Morgul is the city of the Nazgǔl in the land of Mordor, and is a contraction of the city's full name, Minas Ithil in the Morgul Vale. It is the home of the witch-king of Angmar and the black riders, the Nazgǔl, who pursue the fellowship of the ring. It is also a black/pagan metal band from Germany who product some pretty powerful black metal. Sung entirely in German, the black metal vocal has a certain extra quality and ferocity.

Gorgoroth

Gorgoroth is a stereotypical Norwegian black metal, complete with face paint, spiky arm bands and fake blood applied liberally. They've been around for a long while and so are well known in the scene. They have had plenty of controversy for their gruesome live shows and less than amicable relationship with their fans. Gorgoroth is also a plateau in north-west Mordor, in the midst of which stands Mount Doom.

Amon Amarth

Considering that Amon Amarth are most well known for Viking inspired melodic death metal, it may seem strange that they are named for a place in the Lord of the Rings. Many people are not familiar with the place, because it is hardly ever referred to by the name Amon Amarth. It is a Sindarin translation of the name of Mount Doom, the mountain in Gorgoroth into which Frodo eventually throws the one ring.

Blind Guardian

Power metal mainstays Blind Guardian produced Nightfall in Middle-Earth, based on the Silmarillion, in 1998. The album contains a mixture of songs and spoken word telling the story of the War of the Jewels. In addition, the band were also in negotiations to appear on the soundtrack for Peter Jackson's LotR trilogy. This fell through, though, because the band wanted to concentrate on their next album.

Mostly Autumn

Despite not being metal in the slightest, I'm including Mostly Autumn here because they are one of my favourite prog folk/rock bands. The title of Music Inspired By The Lord Of The Rings is pretty much exactly what it sounds like. Prog rock with folk influences, about the Lord of the Rings. I consider it the prog alternative for Howard Shore's modern classical masterpiece.

Mostly Autumn's triumphant return

It's never easy for a band to replace their lead singer, and when that singer is as long-standing, popular and talented as Heather Findlay, it's just that bit harder. When Heather left earlier this year it cast a shadow of doubt over the future of the band. Fortunately backing-singer of 5 years Olivia Sparnenn stepped up to the plate and took over duties at live shows throughout 2010, all the while recording the band's new album.

I have been fortunate in recent years to have heard album tracks live before listening to the studio albums. In 2008 I attended the Glass Shadows launch tour, purchasing the album from the merch stand on the way in. And last weekend, we attended the first gig of the Go Well, Diamond Heart tour in Wath-upon-Dearne.

As is usual for Mostly Autumn gigs, there was no support. Instead, the band played a 2.5 hour set with half an hour break in the middle. Covering some classics from earlier in the band's career, and even throwing in one of Olivia's own songs, the set list was, of course, predominantly concerned with the new material.

Dressed in her trademark thigh-length boots and tiny dress (no hotpants this time), this was Olivia's first time playing the new material live, and she seemed a bit nervous. A few early sound issues caused problems, but by the end of the first half she had found her feet. After the short interval she returned to the stage confident and comfortable. This is a transition period for the band, but based on their "first night" performance, things are well in Mostly Autumn.

One of the wonderful things I have always found about Mostly Autumn songs is that, even after only hearing them once, they are familiar. Like I've always known them, but didn't realise it until now. Even after only listening to the songs during the gig and briefly glancing the liner notes, putting the album on was like revisiting an old friend I never knew I had.

I was very pleasantly surprised to find that, despite being a very different singer, Olivia is more than capable doing classic songs justice. Passengers and Evergreen, in particular, were familiar yet subtly different. And very enjoyable to hear.

The album title itself is clearly a nod toward Heather Findlay. A final farewell, if you will. Nostalgia abound, the first track is named for the band's first album, For All We Shared. Starting out with one of Mostly Autumn's signature instrumental intros, slowly building into a beautiful opening track. Both Olivia and Bryan sing on this one, and Olivia is certainly making the role her own.

There are several themes to the album, ranging from the deeply pessimistic [Something Better] to the melancholic [For All We Shared and Violet Skies] and the very optimistic [Go Well, Diamond Heart and And When The War Is Over...] War is central to many of the songs, specifically dealing with the futility and waste. Recycled a little, maybe, but very much consistent for Bryan's songs. Even cowboys and Caesar get a mention in Something Better. I don't think he's denying Hitler a sausage this time, though¹.

Go Well does seem to dispense further with  the folk sounds of previous albums. In fact, the band's entire direction seems to have changed from Prog Folk to pure Prog Rock. The lineup on stage consisted of guitars, bass, drums and keyboards. And of course a tambourine. But no flute, for example, to complete the folk line up. This isn't necessarily a bad thing, seeing as I am a fan of rock music, but I'm sure others are irked by it. Apparently Glass Shadows received some mediocre reviews, but I loved it.

So I suppose the big questions need answering. Can Olivia take Heather's place? Most definitely. In fact, I would question whether anybody else could even try. In both vocal talent and style she is a perfect fit. And can Mostly Autumn continue to thrive? Of course. This is a new era for the band, but also a continuation of trends evident in the last few albums. And they still put on a great show.

1. Knowing  Josh & Co reference. Listen to Through These Eyes to find out what I'm on about.