Fallujah – Empyrean Review: “This album is the perfect blend of the old and the new.”
I’ve been following Fallujah ever since Harvest Wombs. Since that pivotal first album, I’ve seen Fallujah’s sound evolve before my eyes. That’s why Empyrean was such an unpredictable album. Will it be another experimental sound? Or a continuum of their newer material?
What I got was something I wasn’t expecting. First, the new members brought a fresh taste to the table. Bassist Evan Brewer needs no introduction here. But I was really impressed with Kyle Schaefer’s vocal performance.
This album is the perfect blend of the old and the new. There are some parts that burst with energy. Other parts have that melancholic feel as Undying Light.
The album starts off with my favorite song on the album, “The Bitter Taste of Clarity.” After some atmospheric elements, the song explodes into brutality. Evan Brewer’s serpentine bass is prominent here, weaving in and out of Scott Carstairs’ riffs. The song explodes again in a funky part, with Brewer and drummer Andrew Baird teaming up to deliver one of the spiciest performances on the entire album.
I also have to give it to new vocalist Kyle Schaefer. In my interview with Carstairs, it seems like the two met when Scott was performing a guest solo on one of Schaefer’s projects. I honestly think he was the perfect addition to the band. Schaefer’s vocals are the perfect blend of Alex Hoffmann’s hard-hitting low growls and Ant’s bold highs. I can see Fallujah fans being very pleased with Schaefer.
While “The Bitter Taste of Clarity” was bursting with energy, don’t expect Harvest Wombs here. Let’s take “Into the Eventide” as the perfect example. Carstairs said in my interview that while he returned to his death metal comfort zone in terms of writing Empyrean, the band has still grown drastically since their teenage years. “Into the Eventide” is the perfect example of this blend; the riffs and drumming are more aggressive than we have seen in the previous couple of albums, but the clean vocals and atmospheric elements are a warm welcome to fans of newer material.
Fallujah released quite a few singles with this album, so let’s move down to “Celestial Resonance.” The end of the album is where I see the biggest change.
With “The Bitter Taste of Clarity” and some of the other songs, I expected some more brutal songs and inhuman musicianship. Instead, a song like “Celestial Resonance” shows that Fallujah still has an adventurous side.
This song features pops of each member; there are times when Brewer’s bass rings loudest and other times when Carstairs takes the stage. At the same time, this isn’t done in an egotistical way; the atmospheric elements make each member sound cohesive, resulting in a song where you can appreciate the musicianship.
Each member wrote their parts carefully, so this song brings a lot of depth and emotion. It is one that got lost during my first listen, I will admit, but it stands out more during your second listen.
The album ends with “Artifacts.” The fast drumming and Brewer’s signature bass pick up the pace from the previous song.
I also think Schaefer’s vocals are the lifeblood of this song; his vocals are destructive, but he focuses on a higher register, so the listener focuses on his vocals more than on other songs. The song further proves it’s ambitious with some of the best guitar work from Carstairs that I’ve seen in the entire album and the addition of female clean vocals (I assume the band got Tori Letzler for this album again).
Empyrean combines the aggression of old material and the celestial shoegaze vibes of their new albums. This album proves that Fallujah is still experimental yet still grounded in its roots. I love this album, and I see Fallujah fans also digging Empyrean, both old and new fans.
Rating: 9.5/10
Preorder Empyrean here.
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