Review Summary: Fallujah takes their fantastic technical ability to new creative heights and creates a truly special and memorable EP in the process.
Playing a very specific blend of progressive metal and technical death metal, Fallujah is a band that has never shied away from being daring in execution of blistering riffs, insanely fast drumming with triggered double bass pedals, and all together very evident musical expertise and virtuosity. With this EP, which was released in April of 2013, they proved that they wanted to take their songwriting to a higher level, and desired to created something truly original, unlike any of their previous works. This created the perfect turning point in their already blossoming career, and helped further the creative vision that the band was hoping to achieve..
The first track on “Nomad”, “The Dead Sea” begins with dreamlike guitars slowly fading into prominence, and proceeds to progress in many different ways, changing from very fast blast beats and guitars to dual riffing. The structures of the songs here are very layered, and have a sense of balance to them (Especially “The Dead Sea”) because they don’t overwhelm with too much heaviness and speed, but provide very space-like and relaxing breaks from the powerful heavy parts. However, the band doesn’t let up, but rather comes back with even more fury, and then lead into some very beautiful soloing and guitar melodies. In the middle of the journey, there is “Silent”, an ambient track with some quietly sung vocals, which serves as the perfect calm before the storm. This respite serves as an Intermission of sorts to let the listener catch their breath after being drowned in the crushing heaviness of “The Dead Sea”.
Then, “Venom Upon The Blade” storms in with a very catchy, yet dissonant riff, that is the most memorable on the record. The same spacey, melodic chords and notes are played on the guitars over pummeling blast beats. This track has the most discernible bass, which is one of the things this EP lacks. Although the bass here is still very quiet in comparison to the rest of the instruments, it is easily seen how well Rob Morey performs, and should be more recognized. The vocals here are very good, by death growl standards, but compared to the chemistry of the guitarists, and even the bass, they are not anything to be put on a pedestal. The lyrics, however, are very much something to be noted, with poetic qualities and a very nice flow, even though they are growled with intensity. “Venom Upon The Blade” provides a brutal, yet very melodic and pleasing end to the short journey that is “Nomadic”.
Though this EP only has 3 tracks, each of them abundantly serves it’s own purpose, and because each of them also is so different, “Nomadic” Never becomes a boring listen, which is something that a lot of tech death and progressive metal bands struggle to achieve today. It’s 18 minute length may seem short, but each song absorbs you in a different way, which makes it much more fulfilling and interesting than most 40 minute full lengths released by other tech-death bands nowadays.
