Autumn Tears | |
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Years active | 1995 | –present
Website | www |
Members | Ted Tringo Laurie Ann Haus Greg Ball Terran Olson |
Past members | Erika (Swinnich) Tandy Jennifer LeeAnna |
Autumn Tears is an American Neoclassical dark wave, goth opera band from Billerica, Massachusetts.
The band was formed in September 1995 by Erika (vocals, musical arrangements) and Ted (keyboards and piano, musical arrangements, vocals). After an intensive period of song writing and rehearsing, they entered West Sound Studios and committed to tape the works they had created. In April 1996, their first CD, "Love Poems for Dying Children... Act I" was released through Dark Symphonies, their own record label. The music of "Love Poems..." consisted of symphonic arrangements designed to evoke intense emotions of sadness and loneliness in the listener. Influences include ancient chants, classical music, and contemporary artists (Dead Can Dance, Anchorage, Stoa, Enya).
In May 1997, Autumn Tears released their second full-length album, "The Garden of Crystalline Dreams - Love Poems for Dying Children: Act II."
Erika left Autumn Tears after "Act II's" release to pursue writing her novel. New vocalist Jennifer LeeAnna was recruited, reportedly due to respect for her talent and experience. The first release of "Act I" was originally supposed to be limited to 2000 copies, but an overwhelming amount of requests once it had sold out, it was re-released with a new layout and artwork in 1998. All tracks were remixed and remastered and, as a bonus, an additional and exclusive track titled "The Intermission" was included on the repress; it was Jennifer LeeAnna's debut appearance in the band.
In December 1999, Erika rejoined Autumn Tears as a full-time member.
In July 1999, Autumn Tears released a mini-CD titled "Absolution."
In June 2000, The band finished their third full-length album and most ambitious release so far, "Love Poems for Dying Children, Act III: Winter and the Broken Angel."
In 2004, after four years of silence, the band recorded the album "Eclipse", which is described, on the Autumn Tears Official Homepage, as "the most epic, conceptual, and fullest neoclassical piece of music they have ever offered. Lush strings, acoustic guitars, and woodwinds accompany soaring orchestral soundscapes, painting the backdrop for a staggering array of vocal performances that range from operatic and classical solos to Baltic choral passages and duets." In the Eclipse recording, Ted Tringo had invited new musicians to join Autumn Tears, such as the female vocalist Laurie Ann Haus (Todesbonden) which shared the female voices with Erika in almost all their tracks.