Band: October Falls
Title: A Collapse Of Faith
Label: Debemur Morti Productions
Distribution: Debemur Morti Productions
Release date: Autumn 2010
Review: CD

October Falls are a solo-project by Suomi-man Mikko Lehto, created in 2001. Originally, October Falls’ music was meant to create a nature-inspired spiritual mixture of Ambient and acoustic Folk (Metal), yet the style evolved into a melancholic form of Dark / Black / Doom Metal. Throughout the years, the project released one split-album (with Varghkoghargasmal) and a couple of mini and full length albums, all with a same-minded, still nature-inspired spirit and an organic sound.
A Collapse Of Faith, the third official full length, was recorded with session assistance of bass player V. Metsola and well-known drummer Marko Tarvonen of Barren Earth / Moonsorrow / Chaosbreed / Thy Serpent / Gorewinter / …-fame. The three tracks last for forty two (!) minutes and do not differ that much from the latest releases (The Streams Of The End, The Womb Of Primordial Nature) when it comes to natural / spiritual and musical approach. The only thing that still evolves is the increasing bleakness of sound and atmosphere. A Collapse Of Faith certainly is the most haunting, grim and gloomy October Falls-recording to date, penetrating deeper and deeper into blackening spheres of melancholy.
Every long track varies a lot in tempo and melody, with acoustic, symphonic and atmospheric excerpts and intermezzos. The average speed is mid-tempo oriented, including several slower parts. Tragic and epic, enigmatic and spiritual, A Collapse Of Faith combines these contradictions with ease, with beauty, dark-blooded beauty.
For fans of early Opeth, Katatonia, On Thorns I Lay, AutumnBlaze, Anathema and Empyrium.

85/100

Ivan Tibos.