Fallujah: The Flesh Prevails

Next-level death squad’s dazzling second effort

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Amidst a proliferation of death metal bands immersing themselves in either arcane, abyssal values or sterile, Pro-Tooled uniformity, albums

Fallujah may fit into the technical DM enclosure, but this is an exercise in questing idiosyncrasy. The Americans’ musicianship is sublime and devastating, of course, but what hits home is how meticulously these songs have been crafted, with viciousness and elegance enjoying a fluid co-existence that makes the taut, refined arrangements of Starlit Path, Levitation and Chemical Cave impossible to resist. The finest is Sapphire, a triumphant five minutes of shape-shifting and melodic intricacy that suggests that Fallujah will soon be regarded as rightful peers of those other laudable slaves-to-Chuck-Schuldiner, Abysmal Dawn.

Via Unique Leader

Dom Lawson
Writer

Dom Lawson has been writing for Metal Hammer and Prog for over 14 years and is extremely fond of heavy metal, progressive rock, coffee and snooker. He also contributes to The Guardian, Classic Rock, Bravewords and Blabbermouth and has previously written for Kerrang! magazine in the mid-2000s.