So far, coming to a close, where Eagles fly Cloudy Skies:

It feels weird to write this, considering that I was the last to join Autumnal back in 2014. It feels difficult as well to express this on behalf of the band, which already was 16 years old when we teamed up. However, taking care of a kind of abandoned ship somehow makes me her Master and Commander… or at least the violinist still playing while the vessel is sinking into the depths. Like a private getting a promotion just because there isn’t any officer left in the platoon.

Although I am not one of its original members, I know true facts, like, for instance, that My Dying Bride’s 1995 show in Madrid, supporting Iron Maiden, was a crucial spark for the existence of this project. I know as well how Glow and Autumnal coexisted and even shared members. Outside the band’s boundaries, I have worked with members and ex-members as well on different projects since the beginning of my career. I have great friends within the band who aren’t members technically, but their work has been so important that they turn out to be an essential part of its machinery. I proudly and solidly state how bands like Heavenshore influenced the way I compose nowadays. And finally, I came to know the most memorable anecdotes of the band, which I love listening to again and again. Knowing both these stories in detail, and their protagonists as well, makes me feel as if I had been part of them, like living through an anecdote about a close relative you haven't gotten to know.

When I joined the band, fatal wounds had been inflicted and the hemorrhage was slowly leading the project to death, due to circumstances that aren’t relevant now. If it stayed afloat more time while reaching a higher level was undoubtedly due to Julio's leadership and work, but since he was like some kind of heart slowly dying -don’t get this wrong, please-, he finally threw in the towel as expected, with good reason. After his decision, we started moving like headless chickens for more time. Like a dimming soul whose time has come, it made no sense to keep it alive no wondering about costs when it actually didn’t have any possible cure. The time to accept it came, and we ended up leaving dreams in this regard in that pile of ‘sorted, abandoned stuff’.

Last summer, I was impacted when I was told that a close friend, in a private context, had felt thrilled and almost cried while listening to a demo of a song that we had never released before but had just shared for the sake of it. Having joined after the release of “The End of the Third Day”, I conceived this person’s reaction as a good reason to roll our last dice through this song. Out of sheer stubbornness, and to leave my imprint in the band's DNA, here we are, at the end of our path, with ‘Where Eagles fly Cloudy Skies’. Completing it has taken more than two years. However, eventually all members have ended up contributing to make this possible, what has been awesome. This fact was important to give this song a proper vibe while working together since nobody is actually dispensable in this sense. I must proudly state that my 8-year-old daughter Sofía -who already is some kind of wildcard I have counted on from time to time in different projects- has played its cello parts. I explained to her how important this last song was for me and her effort turned out to be considerable and excellent in order to achieve the final result. The level of Alberto Roman’s arrangements in the last album was really high.

Its lyrics define my feelings very well, in regards to my time spent in Autumnal. I was able to reach the highest point in my career so far, and I treasure the lessons learned from my bandmates, despite what happened, since I managed to ignite an inner spark that made me heal the wounds that my passion for what I like to do the most suffered in that moment.

This posthumous song that we have managed to release is for you and thanks to you, people. For all of you who have been tirelessly supporting us through all these years and for those of you who have let us known what our music means in your lives. We have Autumnal’s imprint so ingrained within us that its essence will always be part of all the music we keep on composing. We’ll see you around in Saturnus, As Light Dies, Deemtee, Garth Arum, Aegrisomnia, Asciimov and come whatever may.

Take care. Enjoy each day as if it was the last one, and enjoy this anthem as much as possible.

Óscar - NHT.