October Falls - A Fall of an Epoch (2020)

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Unleashing one of the most cathartic albums of 2020, today we have October Falls and their latest opus “A Fall of an Epoch”. Seven years since their last release, the band returns with their blend of Atmospheric/Folky Black Metal that perfectly combines elements from bands like Ensiferum with the more vicious onslaughts of outfits like Behexen and Horna. With a hefty dosage of brutality and crafty introspective passages, this release will command your full attention for nearly 55 minutes.

The album kicks off with the bleak acoustic guitars of the title track, this solemn peace suddenly transforms in all-out- brutality with crushing riffs, blistering drums, and punishing screams. Within the all-out pummeling onslaught, there is a very nice melodic delineation that has that Folk/Pagan Metal vibe as it contrasts with melodic passages. On a slower tone, “The Endtimes Rising” delivers a nice blend of incisive guitar riffs and harsh screams, perfectly framed on a more melodic drum track.

Intensity is the first word that comes to mind when thinking of this album, and tracks like “The Ruins of What Once Was” do not disappoint. Mixing a certain epic and on-to-battle vibe, this last track creates a very hectic mood that provides little breathing room for the listener thanks to its furious pace and determination. Those small acoustic passages give us that Empyrium/Tenhi vibe, but the band thrives on coming out of them and into more destructive and melodic pursuits, like on the killer “Hammering the Tide” and its majestic headbanging passages.

Closing with the enthralling “The Flood of Drought”, we get that melancholic edge we love with the sweeping guitar work and the tempered pace. Overall, “A Fall of an Epoch” is one hell of a release that we can’t help listening to over and over and over again. If you are into Black Metal with a certain Folk/Pagan vibe and bleak acoustic interludes, you are in for a treat with this one.

Band: October Falls Album: A Fall of an Epoch

Label: Purity Through Fire

Release: March 30th, 2020

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Genre: Atmospheric/Folk Black Metal

Country: Finland

Rating: 95/100
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