If you’re looking to start off 2013 right, start with the hardcore powerhouse known as Fall City Fall. I’ve been following this five piece band from Calgary, Alberta for quite some time now and each release they’ve had has had me yearning for more. Their latest effort, Victus, is nothing to be written off. Being released under Victory Records, Victus has a set release date for January 22nd, 2013. If you’re looking for some whiny post-hardcore, stop right here. Fall City Fall does nothing but bombard you with crushing riffs and decimating vocals until your heart explodes. If this sounds appeasing, please continue on. Fall City Fall isn’t your average hardcore band and what they do, they do excellently. What sets Fall City Fall apart from many other hardcore bands are the two vocalists. Having two vocalists gives the music much more variety, range, and overall, a more unique sound. The lyrics share similar themes to what has been done in the past, with hatred directed at religion and the human race as a whole. There is only one guitarist, but all the riffs he lays down are devastating and fantastic. The drumming on every track is superb and delivers the shattering beats that get the blood rushing. A gripe I have is that the bass is hardly audible. There wasn’t one instance throughout the entire album that I could clearly hear any bass at all.
Victus opens with a relatively boring intro, “St. James”, but quickly picks up when the vocals kick in. This intro seamlessly transitions into the next track “Dissentipede”. When I first heard this song, I was weary because it doesn’t have the same Fall City Fall vibe that I’ve heard previously. With spastic guitar riffs that sound as if they were taken from The Chariot layered with unimpressive vocal work, this track feels like it should have been put into the middle of the album rather than the first “real” song. I feared that a label signing took this band in the wrong direction, but as I continued on I can safely retract that statement.
The next song “Anxiety Attack” restores all hope that was lost with the second track. This song was released as a single back towards early 2012 and still holds up with the same force as it did the first time I heard it. With fast paced guitar riffs and the “traditional” style of Fall City Fall vocals, this is the song that will get you jumping up and down with fists in the air.
The following three tracks all maintain the same ear-destroying ferocity as “Anxiety Attack”, up until “Many Lives” where Fall City Fall takes a shortlived interlude. This interlude is different because of the darker tone that it has, and it keeps you on your toes for the final four tracks on Victus. “Shallow Believer” starts off with gang chants that give the vocals even more variety and add an extra layer of fervency. The second to last track “Taken” is to Victus as “Funeralationship” was to Dead Saints EP. With harsh lyrics with growling, almost spoken vocals this track is a highlight of the album.
The production and sound on Victus is paramount. Every song, minus one, is of great quality and it’s obvious to hear that the band has put forth a ton of work to get this album out. The heavy quality that Victus carries is of the highest degree and I swear my heart stopped a few times as I listened to it. The few criticisms I can share is that many of the songs sound vaguely similar to others and that the bass player doesn’t seem to exist.
Fall City Fall has done it again with Victus and put out an excellent debut album. Victory made a wise choice signing this Canadian band. I hope that Fall City Fall continues to amaze me as they put out more albums in the future. If the singles and this review aren’t enough to convince you to give Victus a listen, something is wrong with your brain. Be sure to support this band and pre-order the album if you like what you hear.
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