Falconer - Grime Vs. Grandeur (2005)

Mention the word ‘Sweden’ to most people (well, mostly guys) and beautiful blond women of generous proportions will be the first thing that comes to mind. Well, never having visited this lovely Scandinavian country, I am unable to intelligently comment on the nature of its distaff population. After spending the last six months sorting through a pile of heavy metal CDs, however, the Reverend can authoritatively state that those Swedes sure know how to kick out the jams. Death metal, black metal, power metal…you name the sub-genre and Sweden is importing it to an enthusiastic and appreciative worldwide audience. Sadly, the Nordic nations seem to have beaten us at our own game, ‘cause most of these bands, hands down, are cranking out tunes far superior to our homegrown artists (who all seem too intent on getting on the radio, MTV and/or a television reality program).

Case in point: Falconer. Rising from the ashes of popular Swedish black metal band Mithotyn, Falconer set aside the Viking preoccupations of that band in favor of a wider, more extensive worldview. Over the course of four albums (and a number of roster changes) over the past five years, the band has shown continued growth and maturity, resulting in Grime Vs. Grandeur, Falconer’s most consistent and consistently rocking effort to date. With the extraordinary guitarist Stefan Weinerhall increasing his songwriting collaborations with vocalist Kristoffer Göbel, the material on Grime vs. Grandeur showcases an increased boldness, the confidence and chemistry of a band hitting its full stride.

The production on Grime vs. Grandeur is precise, the songs offering a good, clean sound, sharp like a surgeon’s scalpel. Weinerhall and Jimmy Hedland’s guitars roar like the ass end of a jet fighter while Karsten Larsson’s thundering drumbeats and Magnus Linhardt’s muscular bass lines gallop like a herd of wild mustangs escaping the rope. Göbel’s vocals soar to great heights, like Icarus searching for the sun. Although not the operatic equal of, say, Timo Kotipelto, his expressive voice is a magnificent instrument nevertheless, the band’s secret weapon and a valuable addition to the overall sound of Falconer.

Unabashedly power metal, the band embraces all the assets and liabilities that inhabit the genre, and if they come across a bit cliched at times (note “Power,” which has great instrumental work behind hackneyed lyrics) they make up for it with talent and enthusiasm. Rather than a concept album, Grime vs. Grandeur is instead composed of a number of conceptual vignettes, spirited song/stories and philosophical queries that encompass an entire tale/concept within the pace of several breathtaking minutes. It’s an ambitious effort, and when it pays off – such as with the eerie “Jack The Knife” or the glorious “No Tears For Strangers” – the band hits the jackpot. By incorporating elements of Celtic and Swedish folk into their sound, Falconer softens the traditional metallic overkill with carefully crafted instrumental passages, thereby strengthening the overall impact of the material.

Falconer soars above the musical landscape like a fierce bird of prey, its eye on the prize. When the band hits its mark, which it does more often than not on Grime vs. Grandeur, the guitars strike like razor-sharp talons and the rhythms hit with the impact of a hurricane. Delivering “thinking man’s metal” with no compromise in brain or brawn, Falconer is one of the more engaging of the young bands assaulting the staid ranks of the power metal elite. Highly recommended…. (Metal Blade Records)

(Click on the CD cover to buy Grime vs. Grandeur from Amazon.com)