In May 1997, Autumn Tears released their second full-length album, "Love Poems for Dying Children, Act II: The Garden of Crystalline Dreams". Erika left Autumn Tears after the release of "Act II" to pursue writing her novel. New vocalist Jennifer LeeAnna was recruited due to her extensive experience and tremendous talent. The first release of "Act I" was originally supposed to be limited to 2000 copies and sold out quickly, but due to an overwhelming amount of requests it was re-released with a new layout and artwork in 1998. All tracks were remixed and remastered. As a bonus, an additional and exclusive track titled "The Intermission", was also included on the repress, in which Jennifer LeeAnna made her debut appearance.
In December 1999, Erika rejoined Autumn Tears as a full-time member.
In July of 1999, Autumn Tears released a mini-CD titled "Absolution". In June of 2000, The band finished their third full length album and most epic 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 in 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 2007, after a decade evolving, the band has finally shed its shell of neoclassical darkwave and gothic sound, in place of a more traditional classical and chamber music style. Drawing influences from such masters as Bach, Brahms, Hayden, Mahler and a host of others, Autumn Tears boasts rich and diverse musical arrangements based on music theory. In place of the usual keyboards and samples, "The Hallowing" employs fully live, authentic classical instrumentation including a live string section, woodwinds, oboe, french horn and haunting, operatic vocals. The album was originally limited to 1000 copies, but due to very high demand, it sold out within three weeks, and was soon re-released with an improved layout.
Immediately after the release of "The Hallowing", the project has been put on hold.
Members
Current line-up
Ted Tringo - composition, arrangements, original lyrics
Laurie Ann Haus - lead and backing vocals, revised lyrics
Terran Olson - flute, clarinet
Greg Ball - strings, snare drum
Session musicians
Cathleen Torres - French horn
Maya Glovinsky - oboe
Tanya Brody - harp
Angela Hsu - violin
Emily Packard - viola
Past members
Erika - lead and backing vocals, composition and keyboards
Jennifer LeeAnna - lead and backing vocals, vocal arrangements, composition and keyboards
Discography
Albums
1996 - Love Poems for Dying Children, Act I
1997 - Love Poems for Dying Children, Act II: Garden of Crystalline Dreams
2000 - Love Poems for Dying Children, Act III: Winter and the Broken Angel
2004 - Eclipse
2007 - The Hallowing
Mini-CD
1999 - Absolution
At a Distance
Autumn Tears Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
your kisses steal, each whisper
between every thread of life
how gently death pierces me
yet it mean nothing at all
and it's so quiet now...
shhhhhhhh
and I fell from your touch
and I withered and wisped away
although my eyes are gone
I still see you at a distance
The lyrics to Autumn Tears's song "At a Distance" are full of powerful imagery and emotion. The opening line of "burning water fills my breath" immediately sets a tone of struggle and pain, as breathing becomes a difficult task. The following line, "your kisses steal, each whisper," seems to suggest that the source of this struggle is the memory of a lost love, as the singer yearns for the intimacy and connection that they once shared. The lyrics go on to describe a sense of acceptance towards death, with the line "how gently death pierces me," further emphasizing the longing for release from this pain. However, the singer notes that even though death may seem like an end, ultimately it means nothing at all.
Line by Line Meaning
burning water fills my breath
The intense pain and sorrow I feel is overwhelming, making it difficult for me to breathe.
your kisses steal, each whisper
Your kisses are so passionate and powerful that they silence any words that I might whisper.
between every thread of life
Even in the smallest moments of life, I am reminded of your absence.
how gently death pierces me
Death, which often brings feelings of pain and fear, seems gentle in comparison to the agony of losing you.
yet it mean nothing at all
Despite the enormity of my pain, it seems meaningless in the grand scheme of things.
and it's so quiet now...
The world feels empty and silent without you.
and I fell from your touch
I lost your affection and companionship, and I can't help but feel like I am falling apart as a result.
and I withered and wisped away
My very being seems to be fading away without your presence in my life.
although my eyes are gone
Even though my physical sight may be lost, I can still sense your presence in my heart and mind.
I still see you at a distance
You still seem so impossibly far away, despite your constant presence in my thoughts and memories.
Contributed by Brody O. Suggest a correction in the comments below.