Fallujah is back with a new banger titled “Empyrean” and is well exactly that. The change in vocals is what turned me away from the last album, and after several tries I just couldn’t vibe with “Undying Light”. Shift forward 3 years later in 2022, that happened and enter Kyle Schaefer. It’s not that I didn’t like the previous vocalist, to my ears he didn’t fit a death metal band (maybe metalcore or hardcore?). The music is also better, and think the band pushed themselves real hard to write another stellar output. This is a definite product of that and in my opinion quite a comeback after such an okay album.

“Empyrean” enlists their classic sound that’s heavy, melodic, atmospheric/ambient and shreddy. They have put a lot of effort into this new album and sounds like Fallujah to a tee. They had a big hand in the atmoshperic sound of tech death that many bands have tried to emulate. That is saying a lot, and more on this fifth release which is due out tomorrow September 9th. I got this promo in my email and couldn’t pass up this opportunity and boy is everyone in for one hell of an album. It’s infamously moody and full of tempo changes as well, which is thing aspect that Fallujah is so good at musically speaking. One section can be super calm and slowed down, then the distortion is turned on and the speed increases ten fold.

I thoroughly enjoyed their return to form and am honored to have checked out their new material ahead of release day. Psycroptic, Sorpetion and Exocrine released some opuses but Fallujah is in its own stylistic world. I’ve been anticipating checking this out when I had some time and it’s easily lived up to expectations and even surpassed them. As previously stated with lineup changes including a new vocalist (a huge strong suit for “Empyrean”) my interest was peaked, hoping the boys have a serious rager on the backburner.

The drums are really powerful and really done well. The production is crisp and much needed for the sound of Fallujah. This is easily one of the best albums of the year, and over time will follow suit to “Harvest Wombs”, “The Flesh Prevails” and my personal favorite “Dreamless”. The album art is beautiful as usual which is always something to look forward to each album release. This is one hell of an album to sink your teeth into and I believe many people will enjoy it one way or another.

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