In the interest of full disclosure, I’ve been into FALCONER since before there was a FALCONER. With the ending of MITHOTYN, I was glad to see founding guitarist Stefan Weinerhall moving on in any capacity, and FALCONER fit the bill, which now comes full circle in the band’s final release.
While 2014’s Black Moon Rising was undoubtedly FALCONER at its heaviest, most gritty, I wasn’t expecting the lackluster ‘Kings And Queens’, which opens From A Dying Ember. Musically, the band still knows how to write a tune, but Mathias just sounds tired. Not just a bit weary; dog-ass-dragging knackered and, if he were phoning his performance in any more blatantly, he’d be sponsored by Nokia. ‘Desert Dreams’ lifts the spirits a bit, but Blad doesn’t even seem to be trying anymore, ala Jim Morrison around the time of LA Woman, when he realized he could literally mumble his way through an entire album and people would still lay down their cash. It was a ballsy move even back then, disastrous nowadays.
Strangely, the most passionate Bad Blad sounds is when he’s channeling his inner stage diva, ala ‘Fool’s Crusade’ and be danged if ‘In Regal Attire’ flirts with the fire the band used to conjure, but it’s too little too late at this point. FALCONER would’ve been better off hiring the equally yawn-worthy Mats Leven, who, I can almost guarantee, would’ve come cheaper and with a touch less pomposity.
I can’t anymore with this. How the mighty have fallen, FALCONER. You should all, every one of you, be ashamed if this is what you leave us with. From A Dying Ember, indeed. It pains me to say this and mean it, but this is me pissing on the ashes to make sure you never rekindle this weak flame.
Review By: Lord Randall
FALCONER
From A Dying Ember
Metal Blade Records
1 / 6