Album Reviews

Years ago the only musical export from Belgium that got any attention abroad consisted either of crappy Eurodance acts or the hugely overrated Deus. Things have changed though and these days good bands seem to be popping up all over the place. Or in the case of Rise And Fall I imagine it was more like clawing their way up from the fires of hell rather than greeting the world with a wave and a smile.

On their latest album “Faith” these guys still sound pissed off as fuck and come at you with a sledgehammer disguised as pounding drums, rumbling bass lines and riffs that are so nasty they’d never get a ride if they were standing on the side of the road with their thumbs up in the air. Just listen to “The Gallows Await” as it comes to its scorching climax or experience a self-induced panic attack alongside a sever case of claustrophobia while “A Hammer And Nails” or “Deceiver” are blasting out the speakers.

It’s not just 28 minutes of shredding and blasting though. Rise And Fall is equally adept at creating a bleak atmosphere… check the creepy melody in “Things Are Different Now”. And then there’s the closer “Faith/Fate”, six minutes of sludgy noise where they grab you and drag you kicking and screaming back to where they came from.

“Faith” is Rise And Fall’s best album to date and it shows they’ve definitely earned their place on the Deathwish roster alongside a whole lot of other killer hardcore bands.