The Fall of Every Season
Neglected's Motif (Demo) 2005 None
'Neglected's Motif' is the first demo by The Fall of Every Season, a one man project by Marius Strand from Norway. The excellent song 'Her Withering Petals (part 1)' was released online earlier in 2005 and gave us a good taste of what was to come. Let me start with the bottom line: this is one of the best demos I've heard in a long time! What this demo contains is three songs of about seven minutes that consist of a mix of melodic doom with growls and calmer interludes with soft clean vocals. The heavier parts are a combination of riffs and lead melodies that at times resemble the music of bands like early Empyrium, early Forest of Shadows and Agalloch. The serene parts immediately bring Opeth to mind, because of the combination of calm vocals and guitar melodies. Don't get the idea that The Fall of Every Season is a clone of any, though, for while many such bands come to mind, Marius Strand already has a quite distinct approach to what he wants to do with his music. Of course, as with many demos, there is room for improvement. The thing that could use the most work right now is the mix, as the drums are a bit off balance compared to the rest of the instruments. The guitar sound is a bit off the mark here and there as well, mainly in the rhythm guitar sections. But, considering that this is the first home recorded effort by a young one man artist, one could hardly ask for more than it is right now, which is relatively excellent. If any of the above aspects could possibly appeal to you, and you enjoy introspective and evocative music, get to www.home.no/marse and download this. Or better yet, order it and support this promising doomster. And, if you're a label, get convinced and sign this talent, while you still can. I can't wait till the next release!	1. Scornful, Crowned by Leaves 2. Mere Wind Remains 3. A Porcelain Facade Approx. 21 minutes
Reviewed by: Oscar Strik
From Below (CD) 2007 Aftermath Music
Two years after the demo, Marius Strand has released his first The Fall of Every Season full length. The title, 'From Below', might seem a bit out of place before reading the lyrics to the title track. The words "from below" doesn't seem to be intended to be literal. Instead it's more like being below hope. The main theme here is loss, which would explain why the character in the lyrics feels this way. The music is above all calm and melancholic. According to Marius himself, it was this which was the intention. The label doom metal is just a by-product of this. A multitude of names spring to mind as I keep listening; the wintry guitar play that's so typical of Agalloch is perhaps the strongest outside similarity. Melodic doom/death elements in the vein of Anathema and Novembers Doom are also present. However, with the mood and combination of clean vocals and growls, the closest band would be Forest of Shadows, which is currently also a one man project. Marius says he is influenced by Norwegian nature in autumn, amongst other things. Having an autumnal feeling is indeed a good description of the music - a colorful death where warmth and cold are combined. The most characteristic part is the acoustic guitar sections with soft, clean vocals. It's so sad yet so comfortable at the same time. It's indeed very good doom metal for relaxing or thoughtful moments. Being a very big fan of this kind of music I would definitely recommend it to everyone. The music is original in its ways, but those who like this kind of music cannot go wrong here. From fans of Agalloch to those who enjoy Forest of Shadows, this is one of the few albums that will appease almost everyone in the category.	1. From Below 2. Sisyphean 3. The Triumphant Beast 4. Escape of the Dove 5. Her Withering Petals Approx. 48 minutes
Reviewed by: Arnstein H. Pettersen