First things first, look at that album artwork. Look at it. It’s a mighty falcon. A mighty falcon in front of a black moon. A mighty falcon that is also on fire. That is possibly one of the most metal sentences ever and definitely one of the best examples of metal album artwork for a good while.
Falconer are a Swedish folk-metal quintet who have been around in one guise or another since the late nineties with Black Moon Rising being their eighth studio full length release. This is the sound of a band who have already found their feet and are focused on creating the truest statement of intent possible.
What they have produced here are 11 solid folk-influenced Euro-metal tracks. Their best, by far, is ‘Wasteland‘, which kicks in with a slightly blackened, Enslaved-like edge and continues with a relentless pace, complete with blastbeats and dexterous soloing. Vocalist Mathias Blad shares a similar inflection to countryman Mikael Akerfeldt at times but his tone is entirely individual, often triumphant, soaring above the dense instrumentation and is wonderfully layered on ‘Dawning of a Somber Age‘.
Although many dismiss Euro-metal as cheesy, there’s much to hook you into Falconer’s talons. (The absence of synth being an absolute blessing). ‘Halls And Chambers‘ channels both Norther and Wintersun with galloping rhythms, furious drumming and excellent dueling guitar lines. Falconer pack a lot into their tracks, keeping things shifting in unexpected directions which keep the lengthier songs like ‘Locust Swarm‘ and the title track from becoming repetitive.
Although not all of the songs on offer are of the same strength, the medieval themed ‘Scoundrel and the Squire‘ and the slightly chaotic ‘At the Jester’s Ball‘ seeming slightly weaker, less focused links and the apparently constant need for a noodly guitar solo padding out tracks unnecessarily, Falconer offer a lot to both those new to the genre and stalwart veterans. This is a band totally sure of themselves, in their prime and enjoying every sweep-picked minute.
