There’s been a few bands that have been propelling extreme metal forwards in the last decade or so. Among them, Fallujah is an act that unquestionably has to be mentioned. From the landmark The Flesh Prevails, through even some experimental times in Undying Light, they’ve been a force that has shown that atmospheric moodiness and floaty melodies absolutely belong in even the most extreme of heavy metal. Coming off of the lauded Empyrean, Fallujah have once again returned to up the ante and once again state their case as a group that moves the genre ahead with Xenotaph.
While the group isn’t ‘technically’ exploring a ton of brand new territory, they’ve done a fantastic job of taking the ‘Fallujah sound’ and tweaking it in different directions. Scott Carstairs’ readily identifiable guitar work, including floaty, dreamy melodies is the centerpiece of the group’s sound. “Labyrinth of Stone” really showcases this aspect of the group, along with some space-y prog explorations that fit in with the group’s larger-than-life cinematic soundscapes that they have built up more over the years. “The Crystalline Veil” takes those proggy, otherworldly riffs and gives them plenty of space to explore the trippier side, offering bright and vivid musical colors to shine through. Vocalist Kyle Schaefer adds to this element, delivering a multitude of both extreme and clean singing that feels like some of the most expansive vocal work that the band has had to date.
Of course, the brilliant melodies don’t shine as brightly without some intensity for them to play off of. “Step Through the Portal and Breathe” is a nice showcase of jackhammering rhythms and intricate, progressive musicianship shining through and leaving an immense thrill as they move into more melodic and introspective moments for the listener to breathe and settle into. “The Obsidian Architect” is a treat on the album’s back-end, offering harsh and almost industrial-sounding effects on the vocals at points and an eerie, futuristic sound catapulted by some vicious drum battery. The way it swerves with some almost bouncy and upbeat sections makes for a massive contrast, keeping the listener on their toes like no other track on the album. Ending on the sprawling title track, it’s a fiery rampage of intense riffing and drumwork, with Schaefer’s roars giving it an even stronger and more visceral flavor. But the esoteric swings into atmosphere come in at just the right times to rebuild the pacing and give the track a suitably epic feel as well.
Fallujah have made their mark on the scene over the years, and albums like Xenotaph ensure that their name continues to stand tall among the elite when it comes to innovative and atmospheric death metal. They’ve taken their progressive and ambient sound truly into space with it’s cinematic flair worthy of the trippy cover art, and it’s no doubt going to be an album that’s highly favored among those who like their extreme metal to be forward-thinking.