My New Time signifies a new start for Autumn, a band that has always stood out within the overflowing genre of female fronted rock bands; with the release of their third CD they distinguish themselves even more from their competitors; Autumn deliver something original, are everything but cliché and add that little bit of extra groove to their songs. After the release of their successful album Summer’s End, the band has gone through some significant line-up changes. Change, in the sense of progression, is the recurring theme on the new album. Says guitarist Jens van der Valk: "Over the last two years, our situation has been marked by change, which forced us to look ahead, find our own way and give a positive twist to the things we have gone through. My New Time is the result of that." Singer Nienke de Jong adds: "This record had to be made to herald a new time."
With new band members Mats van der Valk (guitars), Jan Munnik (keyboards) en Jerome Vrielink (bass), 2007 sees the ultimate Autumn line-up. A windfall, especially after the sudden departure of founder and bass player Meindert Sterk, which was a real setback. For many, Meindert was the embodiment of Autumn. Jens: "But since we had so many great plans for the future, we decided not to call it quits, but instead strengthen the line-up by selecting people who embody and embrace the new Autumn."
Mats van der Valk, who already joined the band during the Summer’s End tour, is an asset because of his songwriting skills and his burning ambition. Jerome Vrielink’s powerful and sustaining bass parts provide the band with the groove it has been lacking so far. He approaches music from a rock & roll point of view and is very much at home on stage. Jan Munnik, keyboard player in heart and soul, has his roots in progressive rock. His catchy and exciting melodies enhance - and expand - the typical Autumn-vibe.
Autumn’s new musical venture is solid, original and dynamic. The band has never wished to limit itself to a certain genre, and the ambitions of the current line-up have only increased that sense of freedom. Nienke: "This line-up knows no musical boundaries, which enabled us to return to the essence: making music, just like that, without any expectations." Autumn still has some common ground with the gothic genre, but in a more 80’s wave-like manner. Jens: "We are not inspired by any one particular style. My New Time is a melting pot of many genres, including stoner rock, metal and new wave. Our music can’t be pigeonholed and we have never set out to copy certain styles or find a successful formula."
My New Time is the most personal and intimate Autumn-album so far. That intimacy required a totally different approach than the theatrical Summer’s End, both musically and vocally. Nienke sounds more refined than ever. "I chose emotion over perfection on this album. I crawled into the microphone, so to speak. By stripping down the vocals, the essence of the songs came to the surface," says Nienke. "In the past, I tended to conform to the vocal style of the gothic genre." As a result of this new approach, her warm, deep voice shines through on My New Time and shows what she is really capable of.
The songwriting process has changed as well. Whereas the band used to create their songs jamming in the rehearsal space, for this album they sent each other mp3’s instead; everyone was able to work on a song in their own environment and in their own time. Each song was built layer by layer, which turned out to be an effective and fast way of working. The result: eleven amazing tracks, solid and straightforward but with ingredients that require some time to sink in. My New Time is a multicoloured palette of styles, tempo and moods; from a heavy, hypnotising track like ‘State Of Mind’ (probably the heaviest song the band has ever written) to the melancholic ‘Forget To Remember’ and everything in between. What all songs have in common are adventurous arrangements, a characteristic groove and catchy choruses.
The album was produced by Arno Krabman in his Graveland studios. The band commends Krabman for his playful way of arranging, using elaborate effects to enrich a song. Jens: "Arno has taken away our last bit of reserve and made us experiment more. He thinks in opposites and is not afraid to try out new things." Jochem Jacobs (guitarist in Textures) gave the album a transparent and dynamic mix at his Split Second Sound studios. The sound is intense and in your face. Jens: "The sound already took quite a shape in the pre-production stage, but Arno’s arrangements and Jochem’s heavy mix have made it even more powerful."
Autumn formed in 1995 and quickly became an important component of the blossoming Dutch gothic rock scene. Their debut album When Lust Evokes The Curse (2002) put Autumn on the map besides genre mates Within Temptation and After Forever. The band performed at festivals like Dynamo, Lowlands, Waldrock, Fields Of Rock, Metal Female Voices Fest and M’Era Luna. In addition, Autumn supported bands like Cradle Of Filth and Within Temptation on national and international tours, and did numerous headline tours in The Netherlands. Their second album Summer’s End (2004), demonstrated a more mature Autumn that - slowly but surely - managed to escape the confines of gothic rock.
With My New Time Autumn doesn’t renounce its past, but does travel a new course with a strong mentality and ditto sound. With a huge dose of confidence, high quality songs and a superior line-up, a bright future lies ahead of them. The album will be released worldwide by Metal Blade Records; a label that has its feet firmly planted in the heavy music scene and boasts a worldwide distribution and promotion network. With their support, the collectively strong Autumn should be able to make a giant leap internationally. My New Time is the first step into a promising future.
