Autumn's End

The Arizona desert's most dominant dealers of desolation, AUTUMN'S END, have opened up the floodgates on the unsuspecting Metal masses in a tidal wave of innovative brilliance in the guise of Act Of Attrition, and in its wake comes the unfaltering certainty that AUTUMN'S END are a band that single handedly redefines what we've come to know about the North American Metal scene. Integrating chilling, ethereal acoustic melodies, morose yet moving vocal harmonies, groove and rhythm driven guitar grit and
demonic, hell fueled growls, AUTUMN'S END conjure emotionally invocative dirges and adrenalized
Death Metal devastation of such a caliber as to rival-and sometimes surpass-the established eclectic
brilliance of European legends such as OPETH, BORKNAGAR, and EDGE OF SANITY. Perhaps the most intimidating aspect of Act Of Attrition is the fact that this is only the second release from AUTUMN'S END, and yet the stage is already set for their ascension to the upper echelon of American Metal legends. Having come out of the gates delivering their first album with celerity of skill and compositional capacity so acute as to cause one to think they were well over a decade into a brilliant career,
the enduring strength and dominance of Act Of Attrition should be less a surprise and more a manifestation of the proverbial writing on the wall. Simply put, Act Of Attrition is everything you would expect from a band that launched their career so brilliantly; everything you would expect, and even more. Apart from the obvious and inevitable improvements - namely a higher caliber production that creates a more professional and less demo-like feel to the music, and better mixing that brings out the distinction in
every aspect of the music and vocals - there is also a more definitive and concise quality to the song arrangements, a more clarified grasp and elaboration on the nuances and stylish integrations that define the
band. Herein lies an overall sense of cohesion, direction and delivery that incites an undeniable certainty
that the path the music has set your mind and ears upon is precisely the path the band determined, every twist, every turn, every brick laid exactly as AUTUMN'S END intended them to be. For this path is far from the straight and narrow - it is a journey through ever shifting landscapes of damnation and darkness, fundamentally melded by a pervading sense of oppressive desolation, not unlike the unforgiving desert that spawned this beast, but profoundly varied in the ample peaks and valleys of instrumental melancholy, vocal
lamentation, and rampaging Death Metal fury. One moment you may be lulled into reflective solitude through the solemn beauty conveyed in the piano of the album's intro or the somber melody and lulling sadness of songs such as "Soiled Wings" and "To Carry
The Burden", only to find yourself suddenly throttling an adrenaline fueled fist repeatedly in the air to the relentless groove and grind of stomping thrashers like "Integrity" and "Truth B.C.". And so it goes
throughout the album, the music lifting you high on a breaking tide of inspired fury and aggression only to set you down gently upon the shores of reflection with waves of solemnity and solitude before sweeping you up once more, waxing and waning like the solitary moon in a world where the sun and light have long since died. So bring yourself to the clearing at the end of the path, where false light cannot oppress the enduring truth manifested in the decaying leaves, the naked trees, and the rising mist. Welcome the embrace of nature's greatest truth: Death. "Shackled in time, wrap your wings around me. Sleep in the
night, let the wind speak through me." Hear the wind, welcome the sleep, and let the wings bear you unto AUTUMN'S END. - Metaleater.com

Act of Attrition from Phoenix's AUTUMN'S END falls into the "pleasant surprise" category…no, scratch that. It falls into the "I stumbled upon this album in my towering promo stack, had no expectations for it, and was blown away by what I heard" category. Progressive and melodic death metal works as a general
description of Act of Attrition, but does not tell the whole story. Consider elements of OPETH's majesty (primarily the mellower moments) and PANTERA's balls-out attitude, as well as tiny bits of bands like MY DYING BRIDE and AKERCOCKE, and you will have a fairly good idea of what to expect.
More like a dynamic cross between death metal and aggressive traditional metal, Act of Attrition wins points for putting the song first, even though the compositions are not predictable. In other words, it is easy to be impressed by the band's daring arrangements, yet one never feels overwhelmed with technicality. In
fact, much of the riffing is not technical at all; rather it is meaty, straightforward and darn effective. A rhythm section that is hard as nails and the often violent, but varied, vocal style of lead guitarist Chris Cannella result in ample opportunities to head-bang and groove. A death thrasher called "Give Up the Ghost" is a case in point. And be forewarned, Cannella's magnificent heavier vocals alternate between
brutal and blistering, and are guaranteed to straighten the neck hairs. But the beauty of Act of Attrition lies in its outstanding mix of pure metal heft and superb compositional craftsmanship. The OPETH-esque mellow breaks with clean vocals are not only enchanting, but fit perfectly as part of the overall arrangements. "To Carry the Burden", "Hand of Glory", and "The Dirge" are three such examples. "The Dirge" in particular is worth pointing out for the manner in which a dreamy section savagely erupts into a kick-drum driven death metal explosion that is introduced with an absolutely
blood-curdling scream. A Middle-Eastern lick on "Scars from the Candle" sounds fantastic, while the
combination of mesmerizing bass line, tribal-esque drumming, melodic lead guitar, and doomy (as in the above-mentioned MY DYING BRIDE reference)vocals on "Soiled Wings" make it a definite standout.
Put simply, Act of Attrition is one cool extreme metal album and proof that there are still a few worthy acts lurking in the U.S. underground. Those wishing to purchase the "1st edition" should note that the first 2,000
copies have been manufactured and distributed by Hammermill Records.- Scott Alisoglu - Blabbermouth.net

The desert lands of Arizona may be desolate in many ways, but when it comes to the state's Metal scene
there couldn't be a more abundant crop. And without a doubt, Phoenix's Autumn’s End are the greatest export to come out of the state in many a year. Not so much a band as a band of brothers, the blood of their musical bond runs deep, creating an inseparable family out of a group of friends with incredible esteem for one another and the creative capacity to weave some of the greatest Melodic Death Metal the US has seen in at least a decade. One need look no further than the band's second release, "Act Of Attrition", a
supremely solid and diverse album that serves as a flawless testament to the diverse songwriting proficiency and engrossing musical mastery that drives this Metal family. - KNAC.com

When the intro ended and “Eyes of Ignorance” began, it was clear to me that Autumn’s End’s Acts of
Attrition, the band’s debut, would be an extremely easy album to play all the way through. This quartet
from Phoenix sound a whole lot like Nevermore, but with brutal death vocals (think Novy from Dies Irae)
and more of a thrash focus. Additionally these guys enjoy the Pantera or Lamb of God influences, and they aren’t afraid to experiment both in the drumming and vocal department. The cleanly sung passages on this disc, though unnecessary if you ask me, aren’t bad and the tight-as-nails skin bashing as that heard on the beginning of “Integrity” and throughout the disc really helps keep Autumn’s End’s material from
getting stale. Syncopation, interesting fills and plenty of groove alongside the group’s already strong songwriting makes Acts of Attrition a very worthwhile listen. This album will easily appeal to anyone into thrash, melodic death metal, technical death metal, and even brutal death. This is some really good shit, plain and simple. – Peter Johnston - Deadtide.com

Act of Attrition actually leaps on you like a hungry mountain lion on a dark ominous mountain trail, you
don’t know what hit you, and then you wake up in the hospital a few weeks later. Well that may be a slight exaggeration but this CD is a smooth blend of black and death metal as well as a few bits of hardcore thrown in for seasoning porpoises. With influences ranging from New Model Army to Black Sabbath and even Johnny Cash, this band is much diversified. They are from Phoenix, Ariz. and bring that desert mentality of kill or be killed to their aggressive music. That music begins with beautiful piano being played on the intro and then “Eyes of Ignorance” jumps forward with all the ferocity of a death metal giant. The song features heavy dirty guitar riffs from Anthony Dejesus a spirited funky drum line from Joey Kamka
and a fast guitar lead as well as tight mature death vocals and yells from Chris Cannella. Kamka comes out guns blazing on the skins on the next cut “Integrity” and Cannella screams his ass off too. A nice tight guitar 101 melody is hit up with a mellow lead and then a nice bass line 2:30 in to the track. “Truth B.C” is heavier and more vicious as everything speeds up and multiplies from the prior tracks. Cannella laces this track up with a tight clean death metal solo three minutes in. “To Carry the Burden” starts with a solemn exchange between all the instruments but essentially led by El the band bass player. This melancholy song includes traditionally sung vocals from Cannella and then a cool lead piece at the end which uniquely stretches out and actually whines to the listener. Slow drudgery inspired near doom riffs lead “The Raven's Eye” into existence and then the shit hits the fan with speedy riffs only to return to the doom lines. “Scars from the Candle” is where this record separated itself from the other basic metal releases in the past year, as it is middle-eastern inspired and has a really cool tone to it, while still being in your face kick ass punishment for the posers out there. Cannella’s best death metal growls are here and shine through and then around 3:00 he lights up the set with a terrific fast death metal solo that has nice layers as well. Here Kamka earns his sheckles too as he beats out multiple beats from the depths of Hades. A tight bass line from El starts the next ferocious plunder through the metal forest “Give up the Ghost”, and it is as solid a
cut as the rest. Dejesus and Cannella twin guitar blazing and some cool metal screams mix nicely with the deeper growl providing a cool contrast. “Hand of Glory” kicks in the teeth with double bass drumming and rocket fast guitar riffs from the start, and then 90 seconds into the frey, pretty rhythms and notes are played while Cannella sings lovely sentiments, and then as quickly as it ended the fury begins anew. “Soiled Wings” is a nicely played near instrumental cut with emotional melodies and then turns much harder 4:15 in. Death metal growls from Cannella match the dirty melodies being played by the axe tandem and Kamka on drums covers them all with gunfire while they cross the barren dangerous field. A 53-second plucked acoustic interlude stops the debauchery if only for that brief time and then folks it’s back to war! The caboose on this fuck train is entitled “The Dirge” and is powerful from the start and pretty much never stops destroying the senses throughout. The vocals of Cannella here are top shelf genre-leading quality for sure. These guys are certainly a solid cohesive and talented band. If they grow and mature even further they
should be a force in the American metal scene. This album surprised in a very positive way the same way New York’s Havochate did two years ago. Get your stank-asses on-line and buy this CD immediately, then enjoy the rest of the summer with this ferocious metal record! - Hardrock Haven.com

For those of you wondering what OPETH and AMORPHIS may sound like if you stripped them down to
bare essentials, removed all folk elements, and added more rock with a touch of grindcore, AUTUMN’S
END is the answer. This four-piece act out of Phoenix, Arizona, has been around since 2002 once guitarist Chris Cannella decided to take a break from his work with N17 and RORSCHACH TEST. However, line up difficulties and miscommunication resulted in only one self-titled full length release back in 2004 prior to Act of Attrition. After regrouping and putting their heads together for the new album, AUTUMN’S END
have released their second full length worldwide release. It can only be described as one of the most interesting U.S.-based releases in recent times. Act of Attrition portrays a wide variety of songwriting from slower, soothing melodies with calm, clean vocals to outright, ass-kicking grind with inhuman growls. “Eyes of Ignorance,” “To Carry the Burden,” and “Hand of Glory” show a strong influence from bands like OPETH while the band vacillates between smooth melodies and shredding passages. Other tracks like “Scars from the Candle,” “Give up the Ghost,” and “The Dirge” are full-on metal onslaughts of catchy riffs, stop/start rhythms, and flattening drums. This album also sports instances of Spanish guitar and
Eastern chord structures to add further diversity. Although Act of Attrition suffers from some thin
production, the talent of the band easily shines through, which is demonstrated by opening spots with the likes of ARCH ENEMY, HATE ETERNAL, BLACK DAHLIA MURDER, and EYES OF FIRE. This is easily one of the top bands to watch as 2006 winds down, and AUTUMN’S END should be headlining their own U.S. tours in the not-so-distant future if they keep up this kind of effort. - Apeshit.org

#43. Autumn’s End – Act of Attrition
(author's note: the most obscure album on this list--not fully death metal--it tends to go all over the place-- groove influence galore, but trust me it's damn good) - Last.FM

What is up with Arizona? Seriously, the amount of bands coming out of the area is jaw dropping, not just
the sheer number but the number of GOOD bands makes me wonder what is in the water out there.
Vehemence, Abigail Williams, Job for a Cowboy, and now another one to add to the list Autumn’s End.
Act of Attrition is a rather good sounding album. Throw together the melodic interludes of Opeth, the breakdown parts of Lamb of God, some traditional Middle Eastern music, the death metal grooves of Vehemence and you get a sound close to that on Act of
Attrition. The best songs on the album are “Scars from the Candle”, “Give up the Ghost” and “Eyes of Ignorance”, all of which really display the true musical talent of Autumn’s End. The band does a great job keeping the album fresh by mixing up tracks with faster songs separated with slower ones or dividing up the tracks themselves with multiple shifts in the tempo and style.
The guitar work on ‘Acts of Attrition’ is very tasteful. Chris Cannella and Anthony Dejesus’ are really all
over the place. The riffs on “Scars of the Candle” as well as the acoustic parts on “Hand of Glory” are inventive and interesting. Add to that the tight bass work that is on Act of Attrition and you get one hell of an album. The best example of how each comes together is on “To Carry the Burden”. The vocals are very dynamic. The main vocalist Chris Cannella has quite a range, from the extremely brutal
death metal growl similar to that of Arsebreed or Disavowed, to the clean melodic style close to those of a lower pitched Simen Hestnaes of Dimmu Borgir and Arcturus. Act of Attrition by Autumn’s End is a brilliant album. It is only a matter of time before these guys blow up
in the scene. A very well earned 8 out of 10. - RockMyMonkey.com

The most promising band in the local metal scene. Autumn's End keeps it dark and heavy, and pretty much exemplifies Arizona metal: shredding guitars and growling guys in black cowboy hats. Autumn's End is a must for
fans of Black Dahlia Murder and Lamb of God. - Phoenix Newtimes

Autumn's End lays out jamming death metal energy tinged by goth metal elements, hardcore sips and
punctuations of clean-voxed melodicism. Dynamics are fairly solid, with rhythms and style shifting here and there from blistering furiosity to forging-ahead grooves. Vocals range from, as I said, clean bursts, to death throatiness to wicked screams. It avoids falling into a rut and keeps things interesting throughout.
Solid death metal to eat your brains. - Corazine