Published on Jun 5, 1998
If Exhorder was called the “Gary Moore of thrash,” then would it
be wrong to call Fall From Grace the Morrissey of metal?
This four-piece band based out of New Orleans takes on some
deep, dark subjects in the lyrics, all of which help to make the
listener feel like they are not the only ones who have gone through
such dark periods in their lives. This debut album, which was
released about six months ago, showcases a band that needs to
tighten up just a bit more in the performance and songwriting
veins, but overall do a very good job.
Led by vocalist Wil Buras and ex-Exhorder guitarist Jay
Ceravolo, Fall From Grace move from faster, more intense pieces
(“Snake Eyed Savior”) to more plodding melodies that should scare
the evil out of anyone (“It Ain’t Like That,” “Gone”), while they
rarely if ever lose the foundation of a song with a recognizable
melody.
Buras’s lyrics might be deeper than what some people admit on
the couches of their shrink each week, but he knows how to convey
the darkest side of human emotion while helping those who may be
going through it relate to others’ experiences. Sample lyric from
“Feel”: “If what you feel is feeling / I don’t want to feel.”
Ka-pow.
If songs like “Seven Shades Of Grey” are any example of what
Fall From Grace is capable of, then predicting great success for
them would be relatively easy. But despite the strengths in the
lyrics, sometimes one longs to hear Ceravolo just let loose on his
guitar and pull out a flailing-limb solo to go along with the
music. While his more controlled guitar work has its merits, one
can’t help longing for something a little rawer. (Bassist Marc
Hernandez and drummer Eric Stierwald provide a very solid backbone
to the band. Especially noteworthy is Stierwald’s use of the double
bass in some songs.)
The slower, more sinister “plodding” songs are a matter of
people’s tastes. I personally liked the more uptempo numbers on
Fall From Grace, as I heard a little more anxiousness in
songs like “Seven Shades Of Grey”. Others might find the slower
numbers more appealing than the faster songs. Maybe one of the
things holding the band back was that Ceravolo didn’t want to
recreate Exhorder with this band; as the outsider coming in, he
probably just wanted to fit his guitar in with what the rest of the
band was doing. (His rhythm work is astounding, however.)
Fall From Grace is a disc that is sometimes difficult to
listen to, other times disturbing, and at other times enlightening.
(There’s even room for humor, about 20 seconds after the conclusion
of “Sin (Takes Over)”.) If the songwriting is tightened up a little
bit to highlight all the instruments in all their natural stylistic
glory, this band should be stomping some heads for many years to
come. As a debut effort, it’s still worth your attention.