FALCONER — Chapters From a Vale Forlorn (review)

FALCONER — Chapters From a Vale Forlorn album cover Album · 2002 · Power Metal Buy this album from MMA partners
4/5 ·
UMUR
"Chapters From a Vale Forlorn" is the 2nd full-length studio album by Swedish folk/ power metal act Falconer. The album was released in March 2002 by Metal Blade Records.

If you know the 2001 self-titled debut album by Falconer, you pretty much know what you´re gonna get with "Chapters From a Vale Forlorn". The songwriting has marginally improved since the debut but we´re talking details. The music is a combination of power metal and traditional heavy metal with strong folk metal leanings. The best example of the latter style is found in "We Sold Our Homesteads", which is a traditional Swedish folk song that features lyrics translated into english by lead vocalist Mathias Blad. It´s not a whimsical little folk tune though. The melody is beautiful and melancholic but the instruments provide a heavy beat. Definitely one of the highlights on the 9 track, 40:56 minutes long album. The fast-paced opening track "Decadence of Dignity" and the epic power ballad "Portals of Light" should also be mentioned among the highlights but the standard is generally very high. I´d say there are a couple of tracks that doesn´t quite reach excellence, but they are still very good quality compositions.

In addition to mentioning the very high level of instrumental musicianship by all involved, lead vocalist Mathias Blad needs a special mention. He has got to have one of the most pleasant elastic voices in metal. There´s just something very special about that voice and the way he delivers his vocals.

So if you like your power metal without too much cheece on the top and with a strong folk elements this is where you should spend your money. Good production, great musicianship, an outstanding vocalist and some really well written folk/ power metal tunes and it´s hard to see what could go wrong. A 4 star rating is fully deserved.
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