Aggressive and atmospheric, progressive yet restrained, Fallujah deliver a brilliant record of icy beauty
One of the most exciting parts of following a band is the privilege of being there as they change and grow -- and its hard to think of another band that has leveraged changing influences and artistic ambition with as much success as Fallujah has with this latest record. Stitching together the progressive threads spun by other groups (the influence of Cynic here is clear), the band has crafted a collection of songs that are more intertwined than usual, with certain songs recalling others (most easily noticed on Levitation and Alone With You) or sharing elements.
If that sounds a bit too proggy for you, don't worry -- Carstairs and the boys keep things firmly rooted in riffy, blast-beat laden death metal the vast majority of the time. What's really impressive, though, is the way the band mixes that brutality with lighter touches: ambient keyboard touches, airy synths, and breathy female vocals -- not exactly staple features of the genre (the vocals were provided by electro-pop singer Roniit). This split between heavy and heartfelt is the album's biggest strength, as it effectively balances the progressive elements of the bands' sound (most audible on "Chemical Cave", "Sapphire", and "Allure") with the depressive ("Carved From Stone", "The Night Reveals").
Bottom Line: With a well-crafted mix of technical death metal and atmospheric ambiance, The Flesh Prevails is an excellent record for fans of both metal and electronic music, and a great introductory point for people new to either genre.
No comments:
Post a Comment