Fallujah - Dreamless (Album Review)

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Fallujah – Dreamless album review

1.       Face of Death – The album opens with an airy, atmospheric track that builds gracefully into a bouncing rhythm and crunching guitars, complemented by layers of ambient noise and guitar leads. Alex Hoffman’s vocals are intense, grating, and deep, contrasting well with the floating leads and groovy rhythm. The ending segues perfectly into the next track’s opening measure.

2.       Adrenaline – Starting with the outro from Face of Death, the guitar kicks in with a rapid lick before the rest of the rhythm section kicks in on a massive sounding verse. Hoffman’s vocals command the attention of the listener while the guitars and drums lay down a ballistic assault underneath. A blistering solo rips through and then makes way for a calmer moment with soaring moody sounds underlined by complex drumming. A swelling and fading instrumental outro closes out the track.

3.       The Void Alone – The twin guitar attack comes and shoves itself in your face, then the drums kick in and the inhuman vocals all come together to form one of the best sounding songs on the album. Quick tremolo picked licks are accompanied by emotional leads and complex bass riffing. A female vocal section works incredibly well with the heavy hitting rhythm section leading into a brief break with an echoing guitar, driving bassline, and the drumming keeps it all together. Things kick up a notch once Hoffman’s vocals are reintroduced, and then it all gives way for a melancholy guitar outro.

4.       Abandon – The use of start-stop rhythms is executed well, falling into a groovy upbeat guitar break before relaunching the assault from the rest of the band. Another female vocal section leads well into a crunching, brutal section, with the guitars intertwining expertly. The noise cuts for a split second before starting right back up again, making way for another greatly executed and technical instrumental break

5.       Scar Queen – A lilting guitar starts the track, leading into an intricate verse with whispered vocals used to chilling effect. The usual twin guitar attack is used very well in this track, the rhythm driving relentlessly, and the vocals round out the experience greatly. Another great guitar solo follows, the drums accentuating the complexity and technicality. Towards the end, there’s a great breakdown with fast double kick fills and shouted vocals that drip with emotion.

6.       Dreamless – The album’s title track starts with a swelling and echoing instrumental, the drums and bass soon kick in, driving the rhythm along. The bass and drums fall away again, before launching into a harmonious segment with layered vocals and effects-laden guitar work. Yet another wonderful guitar solo commences and then floats back out, leaving the intense drumming and lilting atmospheric vocals to do their work.

7.       The Prodigal Son – Harmonizing guitars make way for Hoffman’s vocals to inflict some damage, then give way to a fast, driving breakdown punctuated by growls. The rhythm picks up the pace and then drops it down again repeatedly, allowing the guitars and bass riffage to shine through. Then everything goes black and a lone guitar starts off the next section, the drums flying in to signal the impending melodious solo. The complexity and speed of the band really shine on this track, along with the use of spacy sounding instrumental layers.

8.       Amber Gaze – A hallowing growl ends the relative calm of the intro and the band launches into one of many technically complex and rapid pace attacks before shifting down into a driving guitar rhythm. Alex’s vocals spice up the arrangement well, adding dark and brutal overtones to the mix.

9.       Fidelio – A resonating piano intro combines with sampled vocal tracks to create a welcome break to the insanity, electronic drums, and organ coming together to round it all out as the ethereal narrator continues. Everything swells and inflates into a crescendo before it all fades away.

10.   Wind for Wings – The band’s masterful ability to slowly add layers of instrumentation before exploding into powerful verses definitely comes through on this track. The low end of the crunching guitar blends well with the vocals without feeling too muddy or crowded, and is accentuated well by soaring guitar leads and mechanical bass riffing. Everything drops off to make way for an expressive guitar solo with clean vocals coming in before everything ramps up again, a female vocal section coming in on top to close it out.

11.   Les Silences – An extremely interesting sounding electronic intro combined with whispered vocals and staccato rhythm introduces the song, eventually fading away briefly while the vocalist continues. The track is almost completely electronically produced (from what my admittedly untrained ear can tell anyway) and it serves as a great chill out track.

12.   Lacuna – The final song gives us what we’re used to from the rest of the album with a brief instrumental intro before the twin guitars kick in with some complicated riffing and the drums explode. Hoffman’s Vocals serve well to underscore the rhythm and complexities of the arrangement, with female vocal sections used once again to wonderful effect. The use of silence is also executed well, adding an extra punch when the rest of the band comes back in to make their last impression. Another great lead gives way to a droning outro that closes off the album. 

Overall this album exceeded my expectations, and is an extremely solid offering by Fallujah, who seem to be getting better and better with every new release.