FALLEN JOY – Order to Die CD Review

ARTIST: Fallen Joy
TITLE: Order to Die
YEAR: 2012
LABEL: Spread the Metal
REVIEWED BY: John Roach

Fallen Joy is a French melodic death metal band. The key words in that sentence for me are “melodic death metal”, due to it being one of the metal genres I’m drawn to the most, and this band being from France. France hardly ever disappoints when a band from their country reaches the ears of North American audiences, with huge powerhouses such has T.A.N.K, Nighmare, Heavenly, and Gojira just to name a few. Fallen Joy’s music is a unique take on a metal originally forged in the cold landscapes of their northern neighbors which creates this modern sound with a new progressive French twist!

“Order to Die” starts off with an orchestral intro that reminds me a lot of SNES game music back in the day. I know they were probably trying to go for huge and epic on a budget and that feeling still gets across but I also get an added nostalgia kick thinking back to Star Trek: Academy. Seriously look up some footage from that game and you’ll get my point…unless you have played it, then you’re cooler than anyone else reading this. The treky build up brings us to the title track of the EP “Order to Die” which is fast and catchy. The guitars instantly make me think of bands like Insomnium, Noumena, and Kalmah with streaming melodies that resolve nicely into other themes. Fallen Joy uses those melodic swings with the guitars that are the very staple of melodic death metal and uses them well! The vocals are guttural, scratchy, and high with moments where a lower growl comes into play for a sort of guttural octave harmony. This is the title song for the simple reason that it would get a crowd moving with its energy. That same energy and melodic feel are carried over to the second track, “Hoisting the Black Sails”.

At this point in my musical assent to fandom, I’m really getting an overall impression of what this band is as a whole. The third track keeps the high octane pace with triplets and fist pumping lyrical chants. Fallen Joy are very much doing melodic death metal fans a service by keeping the traditional sounds alive with a new coat of paint. The final two tracks are 6 minute epics filled with progressive movement and heavy drives. The melodies contained in this whole record are ones that warm my very metal soul to the core. It’s those warm moments you get that make you raise your horns at a show and give you those metal shivers up your spine. “Voyage Au Bout De La Nuit” ends the album with shiver after shivering moment.

“Order to Die” is a great start for this band and it has convinced me that a full album is my next stop when it comes out later this year. Fans of melodic death and progressive metal need to give this band a listen! Fallen Joy has something called a “My Space” where you can hear the entire EP. Seriously do yourself a favor, take a few minutes and go. GO! Be off with you!

TRACKLISTING:

01. Morituri Te Salutant
02. Order to Die
03. Hoisting the Black Flag
04. Seeds of Tyranny
05. Voyage Au Bout De La Nuit