Always up for trying new things, The Fall Of An Empire from France’s Fairyland sat unclaimed for long enough, so I figured “why not?” and decided to give it a whirl. I’m glad I did, considering this style of symphonic, boisterous traditional metal is usually a very difficult sell with me. Deeply conceptual in a lyrical sense, this very well thought-out thirteen track chronicle fills each minute with elegant yet robust melody and sturdy metallic resolve. For being such a dense album, time flies by at a fairly undaunted clip, a rare example of an album that succeeds at making something epic without wearing out the listener.

If I had to describe …Empire with one word, I’d call it ‘pictorial’. One of the main strengths is the stoutness of the rhythms when the pace speeds up to a vigorous gallop, and the way the vocal structures complement the riffs and melodies so well. Many of the verses, as well as most of the choruses, are damn catchy without treading too far into sing-song campfire cheese. There’s a riff or two in the beginning of “The Walls Of Laemnil” that wouldn’t be out of place on a Heathen disc, and the energetic lead keyboard/ guitar hand-off is assembled very nicely, sounding as fresh as the riffs surrounding them. I’m on the fence as far as vocalist Max Leclercq. He’s accommodating enough, but the quality of the singing should be credited more towards the interesting arrangements, and not the execution alone.

It could very well be a lack of steady exposure to this type of metal that is causing The Fall Of An Empire to make such a strong impression with me, but this wasn’t boring even during the longest songs, taking more than a hint of inspiration from harmonious and adventurous 70’s rock acts such as Queen, King Crimson, and similar bands who could write dynamic lengthy numbers that held together well. The production is excellent, as is the musicianship, especially Phillippe Giordana’s keys, coming off as both professional and substantial.

There’s enough individuality among these bustling tracks, so it really does feel like you’re being led through a story that has many different chapters to it and different varying events taking place, from the battles to the grief, all the while thankfully avoiding corny melodrama. If Max had delivered a performance with a little more assertion, truly taking hold of the wheel and packing a more confident punch, this album could have made an even bigger impact on the first quarter of the year. But keep in mind, he is no slouch, and never drops the ball with his vocals at any time. This just could have used a little more oomph, pushing things to even more arresting levels.

Fairyland have put forth an interesting, basic, yet occasionally brilliant  and modern sounding album that will satisfy traditionalists, and appeal to those who might not always go for music like this. Check it out if you’re a fan of bands as varied as Pharaoh, Dragonforce, and possibly Kamelot, as well as Rhapsody. I look forward to future releases from these guys. Killer artwork too, by the way.