Bloody Falls – Amartia (Art Gates Records)
Monday, 15th April 2024
No one can deny the depth of quality Finland has brought in all facets of the metal genre – as numerous artists have their music processed on a global scale of influence. As such, ears perk up when taking another act from this country like Bloody Falls. Forming back in 2017, the band lives in an extreme meets groove metal platform, where melodic death, black, and modern groove elements factor into the final mix. Amartia is the third full-length, hot on the heels of last year’s Dying Is Easy EP release, unleashing eight more potent cuts sure to smash skulls, pulverize bodies, and hopefully launch the quintet even further into bigger audience appreciation due to some quality songwriting plus convincing execution.
The deadly array of twin rhythms beyond tremolo runs or sophisticated downtuned chord progressions under the careful hands of Stavros Mathios and Marko Mäkinen mesmerize. Even when playing at a relatively calm tempo for “Man Undying”, they intuitively know when to build moods to the right peak, then launch into a sinister, emotive lead break that is quite bluesy before going into hyperspeed melodic death/black volleys. The second half of the record often explores longer arrangements full of sophisticated instrumental presence, the clean sections of “Evil Incarnate” a classic example where you feel in this transposed aural universe, the rhythm section carrying this solid heavier groove backbone – the feel taking into account aspects of Nevermore, Lamb of God, and Arch Enemy. When choosing to explode in blackened speed mania for “I Will Be Your End”, the relentless blasts serve notice that blood will be shed, the keyboard spots equally adding that classic Rotting Christ accent tempered with smartly placed controlled modern heavy hooks that never sacrifice the style the band goes for. Add in the more than capable vocal lacerations and deep bellows courtesy of singer Antero Hakala and it’s easy to see why their multi-pronged style can have strong appeal to all kinds of subgenre followers from the underground (and above).
Due to the group’s prolific nature they chose to release 13 songs in a timely 16-month period between their last EP and the current Amartia offering. Bloody Falls establish a weighty sound that contains the right modern groove aspects while still remembering the main components that make melodic death/black metal so appealing. Keep an eye on these guys as they’ll be moving up the ranks.
