Dark/Doom/Death/Goth Metal. Carry on reading or don't waste your time at all. THE OLD DEAD TREE - what a cool name this is! - comes from France and, even if this specific stream is not one of my favorites - I should note down The Water Fields did mark its existence in my ears/mind. Hence, I feel followers of the genre will find much of enthusiasm in this 2007 release.
Ten years are enough for building your own sound? Nah...things seem to be pretty rough this days for creating some 'personal' style, bearing in mind virtually everything has been played all these years in the Rock/Metal field. To avoid more philosophic issues, the truth is THE OLD DEAD TREE proudly mix some of the old school 'atmo' Death along with pseudo-goth - vocally wise - likes (some marketing tools?) while the eternal/melancholic Doom/Death (yes like the band we all though of...) Metal constituents will not leave you alone in you sadness. The Water Fields is the quartet's third full-length release and I think you should give some credit to THE OLD DEAD TREE since they seem to have - at least - some Metal attitude in their songwriting.
In specific: The Water Fields is at the same time diverse and one-dimensional. Flirting with 5 or Metal (and extended) sub genres it does focus on the eventual emotion. Be it darkness. Not in the 'evil' or 'occult' way but rather in a stylistic/cultural way. The songlist is 100% reachable but prepare your soul for a journey through thorough emotions (not flattering ones). DARK TRANQUILITY, PARADISE LOST, (some of) AMORPHIS/ANATHEMA, LAKE OF TEARS have already given you data on melancholy and gloom. THE OLD DEAD TREE extend the horizons by endorsing even 70s Rock (CAMEL or KING CRIMSON just crossed my mind) while - in the vocals side - you can even hear H.I.M. or EVANESCENCE floating around. A rather intellectual move, I'd add...
The Water Fields has slow parts, 'death' parts, brutal parts, 'dark' parts, acoustic parts, goth parts and silent (Prog) Rock parts. Like it or not, it is an integrated release and has surely evolved lots of work for the band. If the above information does apply to you, proceed in no fear. I cannot judge its partial quality, though, so I feel it's fair enough to give it an...