
Nearly three years since the release of ‘Dreamless‘, Fallujah are back on track to present what could be their biggest risk yet. An altered line-up and adapted sound, the band are going forward to release their new album ‘Undying Light‘, starting with their new single ‘Ultraviolet’.
As a comparison to their older material from ‘Dreamless’, this is a change. With new vocalist Antonio Palermo taking the reins, there is a noticeable difference in the raspy screams of Ultraviolet compared to Alex’s harsh lows featured over their past material. While Palermo is a good vocalist, his accentuated screams don’t fit over the track. Perhaps more tuned to a post-hardcore styled band over atmospheric metal, the vocal difference contrasts a little too much for the track.
The interesting lead guitar work still holds strong in the track, lifting the track upwards with the clean cutting solos. It seems that while every instrumental has its place, the guitars are almost drowned out by the vocal layers of the track. At points, it almost becomes a battle as to which aspect takes the lead, instead of a balanced flow. Midway through the track is where a balance is almost reached, and just needs to be tweaked and spread through the track to balance it. Despite the differences the track brings, the lyrical content is still up to a high standard, even with Palermo taking the lead on song writing. With the whole album based around a ‘snapshot of a disillusioned, narcissistic society’ (Scott, guitar) hopefully we can continue to see this high standard highlighted through the full album.
The main point is, this is most definitely a change for Fallujah. Taking a turn into a new route is inevitable, even if their first attempt does seem a little generic amongst their discography. One point is clear – this is not the old Fallujah and probably will never be. From a single, it’s hard to judge the upcoming albums potential, but the single is not bad. From a standalone viewpoint, the release is good, however it has and will cause a few issues for older fans of the metal quartet. Their new album is to be released on March 15th, then we can truly see where they are going.
Rating: 6.5/10