Empyrean [CD]【Japan Edition w/ OBI】

Tech-metal outfit Fallujah intensify their metallic dynamism on stunning new album, Empyrean. Built on an “all killer, no filler” maxim, the Bay Area-based quartet delivered just that on album number five. From video single “Radiant Ascension” and “Embrace Oblivion” to “Soulbreaker” and “Mindless Omnipotent Master,” Empyrean is breathtaking in atmospheric expanse and impressive in sophistication. Fallujah’s remodeled lineup contributed significantly to the level-up on display. Primary songwriter/guitarist Scott Carstairs and compeer/drummer Andrew Baird enlisted Archaeologist’s Kyle Schaefer and Evan Brewer (formerly Entheos/The Faceless) as their new vocalist and bassist, respectively. Technicians at heart but looking for old flames, Fallujah rediscovered their muse on Empyrean.

Since forming in 2007, Fallujah have triumphed over their challenges. Whether it’s self-administering the band, going to school, writing music, or working full-time, they’ve savored release of and diehard fan admiration for five albums in The Harvest Wombs (2011), The Flesh Prevails (2014), Dreamless (2016), Undying Light (2019), and their latest Empyrean. The group’s Billboard chart positions on the Top Hard Rock Albums (Dreamless, The Flesh Prevails) and Heatseekers Albums (Dreamless, Undying Light) prove that with every twist and turn, Fallujah’s fans are with them. With its revivalist spikes, bolstered atmospherics and high-powered production, Empyrean is the group’s greatest yet.

Long-time producer Mark Lewis (Whitechapel, Cannibal Corpse) is welcomed back on Empyrean. Under Lewis’s expert sonic tutelage, the quartet advanced on the production milestones that benefitted Undying Light (2019), walking away with an album that sounds incredible at high velocity (“The Bitter Taste of Clarity,” “Soulbreaker”) and when it carries sentimental heft (“Into the Eventide,” “Celestial Resonance”). Fallujah and Lewis recorded Empyrean at MRL Studios in Nashville, Tennessee, over six months. The full-spectrum endeavor was then mixed and mastered by Lewis in seven weeks. The studio sessions weren’t without sacrifice, however. Fallujah worked their tails off to make Empyrean the remarkable reality that it is.

Throughout Empyrean, Fallujah surprise. Musically, lyrically, and with their bevy of guests, they add hard-to-describe depth and musical import. Vocalist Tori Letzler (Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice) reprises her angelic role on “Radiant Ascension” and “Artifacts,” while Chiasma’s Katie Thompson also returns to elevate “Embrace Oblivion” and “Into the Eventide.” Chaney Crabb of Entheos and Cyborg Octopus’s David Wu tender their considerable talents on “Mindless Omnipotent Master” and “Duality of Intent,” respectively. Celebrated artist Peter Mohrbacher (Serenity in Murder, Rainbowdragoneyes) replays his role on Empyrean. Truly, this is an all-star cast appearing on a momentous album by a band reaching beyond.

Venture into the exosphere on Empyrean. Fallujah are waiting for you.