review: Falconer

Falconer

From a Dying Ember

Metal Blade Records

26 June 2020

Falconer’s ninth album is the last one. They have announced the end as the album is being released. For 20 years the Swedish band has been marching to its own beat of traditional, melodic songs with the air of “folk” vibes. Falconer is, basically, a traditional melodic band with singing, and the music is readily intelligible as classic-style heavy and power metal, but they have a distinct extra vibe in their sound, and that’s why people use the term “folk” to describe it. Maybe it is simply better to call it something like a Renaissance element. There is an elegance and skill about it all that it might not be helpful to lump the band with the beer-music groups of folk. Falconer is “folk” in the way that Rainbow’s “Sixteenth Century Greensleeves” is or in the manner that some of Iron Maiden’s post-2000 melodies sound “folky.”

The singing is one of the most appealing aspects of the album. It is a voice that works that attractive range in which it is melodic, not too low and certainly not too high. There is no braggadocio in the singing, no showing-off of super high notes. There is a subtle strength to the voice. In some ways, the singing is that type of beautiful male singing that has always sounded good to ear when done right. Here, there are not excessive attempts at impersonating someone else, no ridiculous attempts to sound overly masculine (no irritating things like screaming, unnecessarily high notes, show off singing, exaggerated voice personas, whiny/frail tones, fake macho/masculine elements, so on and so forth). In short, the pleasantness and maturity of the singing should be a wonderful discovery for new fans. Add all this together to experienced songwriting, and it’s a great combination. Such a classy album.

From a Dying Ember by Falconer