Fall – The Dreamer of Tragedy EP


Two years after their self-released debut album The Insatiable Weakness, Melodic Death Metallers Fall have some more Scandi-inspired music for you; an EP with the equally poetic title The Dreamer of Tragedy. This four track offering sees the Texan four-piece broaden their sound – more synth, melody and melancholy to go with the ferocious Melodeath of their debut.

This experimentation yields good results: in ‘Ascend’ the measured, echoey intro and the lush chorus melodies juxtapose the inevitable dive into metallic brutality quite nicely. Combining slow, and pseudo-Progressive moments with pummelling riffs, harsh vocals and big, focal point choruses works well. This approach is followed in ‘Defender’, whilst mellower and not as instantaneous it is a grower, a textured, multi-layered one that fans of Opeth and Soilwork will feel comfortable with.

The last two tracks are when the gloom and melancholy intensify, the changeable pace and clean and harsh vocals of Jessie Santos helps build the dark, brooding aura of ‘Heir to Silence’. ‘Longing Spirits’ is the best example of this lovingly crafted sense of foreboding, this changeable, Prog-powered Heavy Metal is revealed over the course of eight minutes, it’s ending signaled by an eerie fog horn like blast.

The Dreamer of Tragedy is a positive sign of growth; it broadens Fall’s sound whilst maintaining their core, Death Metal like ferocity.

6 / 10

THOMAS THROWER