Like many musicians who after playing in the same sandbox for many years eventually cross paths and find they have common creative ideas, New Jersey’s Autumn Hour formed as a result of vocalist Alan Tecchio and bassist Clint Arent’s participation in the band Seven Witches. Drummer Dave Lescinsky played on two Hades albums and is where his connection lies with Tecchio, and it was through the band Non-Fiction that Alan met guitarist Justin Jurman, as their bands had played a number of shows together.

According to Autumn’s bio, the origins of the band can be traced back to the summer of 2003 when Tecchio and Jurman wrote about a dozen somber, acoustic songs together. It took until 2008, but eventually these songs morphed into a group dynamic with the addition of Lescinsky and Arent. "dethroned" is a songbook of utter, worldwide devastation, and an aftermath in which technology tries to save the human race from extinction. The story is told in three parts: Part I: Singularity In The Making, Part II: Endgame, and Part III: The Machine Kind.

After a short 24 second intro, ‘Oblivion’, Part 1- ‘End User’ and ‘Techcceleration’ with grinding grungy riffs, dark leads, and forceful vocals let the listener know this is not going to be the happiest of tales. The last song in Pt. 1 is a cover of the Eurythmics ‘Here Comes The Rain Again’ and is a doomier take on the 80s pop song. Autumn Hour somewhat follow the original arrangement but with heavy guitars and Alan’s unique voice create deeper, darker melodies, making a fitting addition to the album.

"Part II – Endgame", opens with an Alice In Chains type moody bass line to ‘Fade Out’ with Alan’s vocal also capturing a bit of the late Layne Staley. And speaking of Alice In Chains, during the verses and harmonies in ‘Unbelievable’ I hear "Jar of Flies". With the slow plodding riffing and tempo the title track starts out as a clunker, picks up half way through but in the end is still a dud. Ballad ‘How Were We Supposed to Know?’ closes Pt.II. "Part. III" maintains a consistent vibe to the album, mixing hard with the soft dynamics (‘Transcend’ and ‘The Past’).

Overall, "dethroned" is expressive and dark, not an album for those looking to start a mosh pit, sing a metal anthem, or hold your girlfriend for a power ballad.