Moons And Mushrooms

Lake Of Tears

The successor album entitled Forever Autumn to the most successful A Crimson Cosmos saw LAKE […]
By Dimitris Kontogeorgakos
July 25, 2007
Lake Of Tears - Moons And Mushrooms album cover

The successor album entitled Forever Autumn to the most successful A Crimson Cosmos saw LAKE OF TEARS splitting up after its release in 1999. Although, this album was pretty good (excellent for me) with deep atmospheric and emotional tracks, it did not receive the same feedback as the previous, a fact that lead the band into disequilibrium. In 2002, the band returned to fulfil the demands of the contract signed with Black Mark Records and released The Neonai  that proved there was more to expect from Swedes. After 2 the years, the band was reactivated and gave birth to Black Brick Road through Noise Records bringing the smile back to all the die-hard fans.
The most positive feedback and the tour that followed, renewed and reinforced LAKE OF TEARS who returned to the studio to record their seventh album under the title Moons And Mushrooms through the Dockyard 1 label, this time.
Black Brick Road was some kind of a transitional album from the silent and infertile time period back to the creative days. Indeed, the new album is better than the previous and marks the return to the classic LAKE OF TEARS sound that can be found in their prime releases. The band presents the fine blend of Gothic Rock and Heavy Metal that we loved back in the  A Crimson Cosmos days. The album opener, Last Purple Sky is a classic LAKE OF TEARS track with the solid rhythm, Brennare's melodic vocal lines and the distinct guitar riffs. You Better Breathe While There's Still Air continues in the same pattern though it gains some speed making the track more groovy and catchy. The bass guitar and the keyboards hold the reins in the atmospheric Waiting Counting that turns to be heavier than the previous tracks.
Like A Leaf is an excellent ballad where the band's influences from PINK FLOYD become vivid especially upon the keyboard's sound and the guitar solo. There is a Headstones feeling all over the heavy guitar main riff in the fast paced Children Of The Grey while Head On Phantom and Island Earth bear the band's classic groovy sound comprising solid bass guitar lines and clean guitar hooks that lead to the sing-along chorus melody. The album gains a Doom Metal finishing touch with the down-tuned guitars during the six minutes of Planet Of The Penguins where the long lasting guitar solo really shines. Probably, due to the albums short time duration they decided to add the bonus track Is There A Better Way that is fast and based on an almost punk guitar riff that is really nothing special.
I decided to get into a track-by-track commenting since I consider myself a die- hard fan of, what I believe, a most underrated band. The old and the fresh ideas presented in Moons And Mushrooms are signs that the Swedes have rediscovered themselves to finally leave behind all the years of instability and uncertainty. Welcome back guys.

8 / 10

Excellent

"Moons And Mushrooms" Track-listing:

Last Purple Sky
You Better Breathe While There's Still Air
Waiting counting
Like A Leaf
Island Earth
Children of the grey
Head On Phantom
Planet Of The Penguins
Is There A Better Way (bonus track)

Lake Of Tears Lineup:

Daniel Brennare - Vocals, Guitar
Magnus Sahlgren - Lead Guitar
Mikael Larsson - Bass
Johan Oudhuis - Drums

linkcrossmenucross-circle linkedin facebook pinterest youtube rss twitter instagram facebook-blank rss-blank linkedin-blank pinterest youtube twitter instagram