Among Beggars And Thieves

Album review

Add two scoops of Iron Maiden-style galloping metal, one scoop of Queensrÿche-style singing, a spoonful of Kamelot-style lyrics, and a pinch of Spinal Tap-style bombast, and you get Falconer. As heard throughout their 2008 release, Among Beggars and Thieves, this quintet that hails from Mjölby, Sweden are well-versed in all of these aforementioned musical approaches. Prog metal, medieval metal, and even folk metal are all subgenres that the group falls under, as tracks such as the album opener, "Field of Sorrow," "Vargaskall," and the title track fit neatly into all these metallic styles. There's no debate that the lads are technical experts at their instruments, while singer Mathias Blad can hold his own against Bruce Dickinson and Geoff Tate. But that said, Falconer doesn't display enough of its own take on the aforementioned metal styles, which by this point, have been done a zillion times over by countless other bands. Still, if it's complex, challenging, and verbose metal you seek, then it's time for you to hail Falconer and the arrival of Among Beggars and Thieves.

© Greg Prato /TiVo