FALLUJAH – “Xenotaph” (ENG)

In the world of progressive and technical death metal, FALLUJAH is a band that has been making a growing impact on this particular scene lately, all thanks to the immense talent of its musicians as well as their unparalleled artistic standards, which were notably showcased on their 2022 album, Empyrean. When we talk about them, we’re referring to something that borders on the supernatural, as it’s music that thematically encompasses concepts related to metaphors, the human psyche, and existence, wrapped in a complex and disturbing sonic canvas; woven not only by artists, but by mad scientists, or conceptual travelers whose brave adventures in the subgenre have produced some of extreme metal’s most acclaimed records. Since 2007, FALLUJAH has known how to climb the cliffs of its imagination and now finds itself in a highly coveted observation point for several current bands, although it is certainly not alone, with exponents at its side such as RIVERS OF NIHIL, with a tremendous album published very recently, and OBSCURA, with a very controversial album for many reasons a few months ago, are just a few examples to name my favorites and who recently released new material.

For this album, FALLUJAH has an almost entirely renewed lineup, with Scott Carstairs continuing as the mastermind and one of the guitarists, joined by Sam Mooradian, now as a full member on second guitar, Kyle Schaefer on vocals and programming, Evan Brewer on bass, and Kevin Alexander on drums. Before getting into the album, the singles “Kaleidoscopic waves” and “Labyrinth of stone” seemed to indicate that the idea was to continue the path forged on Empyrean, like a sequel to a film, picking up right at the end of its predecessor, but maintaining its distinctive signature: a balance between the technical complexity of the guitars, an intense atmosphere, and the mix of guttural and clean vocals, which on this occasion abound to further nuance that feeling of illusion or reverie. These elements are what differentiate FALLUJAH from other equally skilled technical death metal bands like those I mentioned in the previous paragraph, for example. Their latest single, “Step Through the Portal and Breathe” which I heard before owning this album as a whole, exemplifies the band’s current songwriting prowess, combining technical skill with a progressive and addictive melody. The song focuses on more dreamlike, ambient passages, with mid-tempo guitar chords that are longer and more sustained, and solos laced with delay and reverb, all while remaining in the FALLUJAH vein.

Having already listened to the entire album, I think the choice of the singles was superb, because they knew how to give us the right glimpse of the album, without spoiling some of the masterpieces that are hidden and yet to be discovered when we enter the world of Xenotaph, such as the illusory and spatial “In stars we drown” that seems to immerse us little by little in this dream, but I think the most powerful ones come at the end, with “The obsidian architect”, a bit of the most different one on the album, which presents a unique, dark and futuristic section, with synthwave influences, along with vocals with a processed industrial sound that I would love to see them explore in future albums, since it is a tech death hit, with many aggressive riffs, powerful drums and some death metal vocal lines that exploit the most dark side of Kyle Schaefer. Finally, the self-titled track closes the album in a triumphant and fierce way, leaving a very satisfying sense of closure. It also perfectly encapsulates what they seek to show in this new songwriting era of the band, but there is too much to cover in a song that takes us through all the best moments of the album and then vanishes into the ether.

Xenotaph turns out to be an immersive, conceptual exploration of life, death, and a somewhat delusional human mind. This sci-fi story takes the “it was all a dream” concept a bit further: an internal parasite lurks, guiding visions and generating epiphanies, like a puppeteer manipulating a marionette; life and death are revealed to be mere illusions; angels and the afterlife are presented, all conceptual ideas supported musically in a dazzling way, as they already know how, but with a greater emphasis on clean vocals and dreamlike sequences, while maintaining the classic FALLUJAH style. The composition is brilliant and the production, of exceptional quality. From beginning to end, the album is undoubtedly an unforgettable experience, where experimentation proves fruitful, consolidating Xenotaph as a masterpiece, with a profound meaning for the band’s musicians and an emotional connection evident in every moving solo, in every passionate clean passage, and in every drum progression, which seems to resonate with a certain sensitivity. I don’t usually talk about the concept of perfection because it’s an unattainable standard for any musical work, but this album is certainly very close to it. Perhaps too ambitious or surreal if this is your first encounter with the band, but it is undoubtedly a valuable experience for any fan of extreme metal of this experimental magnitude, above all.

We would like to thank Nuclear Blast Records for providing the material.