Fallujah - Xenotaph (2025)

It is quite impressive how far has Fallujah come, from their early Deathcore days, to their current Progressive/Technical Death Metal style. With “Xenotaph”, the band continues to polish their skills and delivers the best album to date. It is brutal, it is technical, it is fast, it is crafty, it basically has it all, and fans of the band and the genre will be blown away as to how good it really is.

Setting the mood with “In Stars We Drown”, we get a very dreamy and ethereal piece, similar to Persefone cranks out, but with the distinctive Fallujah style. From here on, the rollercoaster ride begins with the crushing “Kaleidoscopic Waves” and its intricate guitar work, “Labyrinth of Stone” and “Step Through the Portal and Breathe”, and their Death-like tempo changes and crafty melodic interludes . The band’s abilities to craft songs that perfectly blend heaviness with melody and technical prowess have greatly matured over time and are beyond masterful here.

The dreamy “The Crystalline Veil” continues the onslaught with a hefty dose of heavy riffs and a solid balance between clean vocals and harsh growls, surrounded by dramatic guitar leads. We get some Obscura and Augury vibes in this track, creating interesting melodic soundscapes while staying true to their heavier roots. Our favorite track has to be the high-octane “The Obsidian Architect” and its dramatic tempo changes, filled with both melancholy and ravaging brutality.

Closing the album with the longest track, “Xenotaph”, the band showcases even more versatility as they are able to keep the listener engaged with longer pieces that have more complex progressions and epic cathartic moments. Fallujah has managed to greatly improve their sound since their last release, and continue to evolve, adding extra dimensions and more complexity to their music, while still providing a heavy backdrop for fans to headbang non-stop.

Label: Nuclear Blast Records

Release: June 6th, 2025

Genre: Progressive/Technical Death Metal

Country: USA