Album Review: False Memories - The Last Night Of Fall

False Memories is presenting themselves as a Gothic metal band, which is fine, except for one thing; that term is often used to describe an atmosphere that overtakes the importance of songwriting. When you get to certain genres, the sound becomes more of the focus than the songs, and as long as the right gloomy approach is heard, it almost doesn't matter to some people what the quality of the songs is. It's like when you go to a movie and marvel at the special effects. That's nice, but they aren't what makes a movie good or not. Likewise, just being Gothic doesn't satisfy those who are not devoted to the sound, such as myself.

That's where I feel False Memories have gotten caught. They have the requisite tones and atmospheres to pull off a Gothic approach, but their songwriting don't have enough hair-raising hooks to carry through. They are the perfect foggy shot of the horror movie scene before the monster pops up, until you realize it's the projector that's out of focus.

Part of that comes from the band's assembly. Rossella Moscatello can sing, but her voice is neither powerful, gritty, nor dark enough to pull of the Gothic. She is mis-cast in this role, and without having the right voice to lead this seance, we aren't going to be able to cast the right spells. Katatonia embodies gloom and melancholy in both their instrumentals and Jonas Renske's haunted voice. False Memories can't do that.

They do write a few good songs. "Rain Of Souls" and "Hysteria" both have solid melodies that are enjoyable, but I feel even then the disconnect between the sound they're aiming for and the one they deliver is enough of a gap to create pause in my mind. Other songs crawl along in an attempt to be sinister, but they move so slowly you can easily walk away from the danger. The production doesn't help, as the recording sounds a bit too thin. For a record that wants to be drenched in atmosphere, there isn't any space in these songs for it to linger. Everything sits at the same volume, eliminating any dynamics of things like a quiet creaking off in the distance. We know everything that is happening here right away. There isn't any mystery.

"The Last Night Of Fall" is a perfectly fine record, but it's not exciting. Nothing about it demands your attention, and without every ounce of it, much of this music is going to be forgettable. It's pleasant enough in the background, but it makes little case to be given a starring role. I don't have much else to say beyond that.