Raise your stein of mead into the air, and drink it like you just don't care! Welcome to another edition of "Name that power metal band". This week's contestant is the Swedish band FALCONER, offering up their fourth release. Now, pay attention here, cuz there have been some changes. If you are familiar with the band's first two releases, gone are the original singer, and the songwriting that included many catchy rhythms and choruses, not to mention the abundant folk and folklore themes. Now, for the second straight album, a more direct heavy metal approach has taken over, along with a new singer. Don't get me wrong here, we are still talking about power metal, anthemic choruses, squeaky clean vocals, and guitar so solid you could put service for six on it. I like it. It just needs a little more....salt? No, that's not it. Hmmm, maybe....ORIGINALITY! Yeah, that would work! Look, these guys have got the skills, they have the chops, they have a singer that can belt it harder than any catholic school nun. They have just got to find something to set them apart from the crowded field of hammer-swingers and sword-forgers.

The record is full of decent songs, and has excellent production, but these things alone will not burn into your medulla oblongata. Occasionally the twin guitar has a MAIDEN vibe, the solo work is good, the drums are steady, but the bass is rather non-existent, and the cheddar of the vocals brings the songs down. Remember that old Daffy Duck-as-Sherlock-Holmes cartoon? He looked really impressive with that pipe in his beak, until bubbles started flowing out of it. That was the impression I got from Kristoffer Gobel time and again on this record. HELLOWEEN did it first, and better. These boys can obviously handle those pesky dragons, as evidenced in tracks like "The Return" with its RAINBOW vibes, and "Jack the Knife", it's gruff vocals and falsetto shaking things up a bit. This is not a bad review, but a plea to find that thing that is going to make you the kings of your domain, instead of just another band wearing black at night.

- Murtaugh

OFFICIAL SITE: www.falconer.com

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