Album Review: Fallujah – Empyrean (Nuclear Blast)

Tech-death heavyweights Fallujah are back with a brand-new album entitled ‘Empyrean’ and due to be released on September 9th, 2022, via Nuclear Blast Records.

Speaking about the upcoming album, guitarist Scott Carstairs says:

After such an experimental expression [with Undying Light], we sat down to write Empyrean completely refreshed and inspired, It was like the musical tension of the last decade had been released, and we were ready to achieve goals the band had originally set out for. Empyrean is truly a return to form because we are doing what comes naturally to us, but with an intensity that we haven’t achieved in the past. We set out to create something that represents the band and its history in its purest form while also pushing our technical abilities further than we have ever gone.

Every Fallujah album has been a reflection of whatever ideas felt the freshest and exciting to us at that particular point in time. We’ve developed our own defined sound over the years, but on this album, our new members helped bring in some new perspectives. We incorporated new elements such as counterpoint and tempo changes but maintained elements integral to the band and even brought back techniques used in older records. At this point, it’s all about elegantly presenting the sound we have cultivated over the last decade.

This does feel like a celebration of everything that makes Fallujah such a special band. A celebration of their past, present, and future. A showcase of how far they’ve come while paying tribute to what got them here in the first place. Importantly too, it’s not a regressive release as Fallujah have one eye looking forward.

Empyrean begins in style. An explosion of sharpened technical riffs, bone-crushing percussion, and scathing vocals. If you were hoping for intensity from Fallujah, they are delivering it by the truckload with this start.

Of course, it’s not a one-off either as Radiant Ascension features just as much speed and savagery. However, it’s also a great example of how Fallujah use progressive melody to impressive effect and how they can deliver grand choruses. Before Embrace Oblivion doubles down on that with haunting touches of melodious vocals layered carefully around the brash concentration of heavy tech-death that Fallujah employ to such success.

It’s clear from just the first three tracks that Empyrean is one hell of an important album in the career of Fallujah. That they can go from an atmosphere-laden, progressive wonder like Into the Eventide to the piercing brutality of Eden’s Lament is testament to their immense abilities. With these two tracks, listeners can experience the full breadth of Fallujah, the old and new, the combination of their ferocious past and their melodic future, all wrapped up in a glorious technically proficient way.

The second half of the album certainly doesn’t change the narrative as Soulbreaker has the guitars going on a wild rampage. The clever switches and turns, eccentric and electrifying. Whereas Duality of Intent has a fascinating approach to rhythmic intensity. The vocals at peak snarl and growl. Before Mindless Omnipotent Master sees Fallujah dig into the death metal cesspit for a delightful hunk of noise. As traditional as it gets for Fallujah, at least when it comes to the consistency of its heavy approach.

Leading to the two longest tracks on the album and two of the most ‘wow’ efforts on the entire album. Which should go some way to showing just how good they are as the whole album falls in the ‘wow’ category.

First up, it’s Celestial Resonance and a Fallujah inspired, as they come at listeners with an instrumental epic. The heft of the guitars beautifully balanced by melody. Then it’s one last thrilling ride with Artifacts as Fallujah deliver emotion and unmitigated heaviness. Wild and beautiful, it is a stunning end to a stunning album.

Fallujah – Empyrean Full Track Listing:

1. The Bitter Taste of Clarity
2. Radiant Ascension
3. Embrace Oblivion
4. Into the Eventide
5. Eden’s Lament
6. Soulbreaker
7. Duality of Intent
8. Mindless Omnipotent Master
9. Celestial Resonance
10. Artifacts

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