Grime vs. Grandeur

Grime vs. Grandeur is as proudly power metal as any Falconer release. The harmonized guitars gallop, and its cascading melodies suggest grassy plains where the Rohirrim ride. But since 2003's Sceptre of Deception, Falconer founder and guitarist Stefan Weinerhall has expanded his songwriting collaboration with vocalist Kristoffer Göbel, and together they aren't as reliant on the mechanism of heavy-handed fantasy. Göbel will still rip with his Herculean throat into mirthful lines like "Assailant"'s "You feel like a tiger, rush is in your veins/You have to try and break these chains" or "You won't feel a thing when I loot your body" from the Jack the Ripper riff "Jack the Knife." But the lyrics work in context because instead of a grand, solitary theme (which would flirt with hokey) Falconer have opted for numerous small ones. They've also written some of their strongest melodies, and that's really what keeps Grime vs. Grandeur going. "Emotional Skies" opens with an interestingly timed verse section before launching its rousing gang vocal chorus; its additional female harmony is a fantastic touch, adding warmth to a sound that can be a little too mannish. Devotees of late-'80s power metal will love the rapid-fire instrumentation and high-flying vocals of "Purgatory Time," while fans of Falconer's folk melody side will really hear it in "Humanity Overdose" and "Child of the Wild." "Power" might not live up to its bold title, and rhyming "power" with "devour" should be prohibited. But Göbel uses every layer in his expressive voice, channeling both Rob Halford and Geoff Tate, and Falconer make it work. The band's embrace of all things power metal -- unfortunate clichés included -- is a two-way street. But Grime vs. Grandeur successfully embodies both sides of its title, and regulates its more ambitiously fantastic moments with an undeniable sense of conviction.