Among Beggars and Thieves reviews sprouting up

[Munkaboo]

http://www.reviewbusters.net/music/review.aspx?id=1298

Final Verdict
Although I still feel there is room for growth and improvement, I found this to be my favorite Falconer release to date. The tracks ooze with soaring harmonies and catchy riffs making each one memorable on Among Beggars and Thieves. The forthcoming single, “Carnival of Disgust” has one of the most infectious melodies I have ever heard from the band. This is definitely one power metal album swelling with folk rhythms that you need to hear!

Rating
9 out of 10

I can't wait. Theres another review on www.cmj.com but I cannot access it.

[The Black Knight]

Nice. Although I personally don't see where he finds the room for growth and improvements...

[Chill02]

Nice. Although I personally don't see where he finds the room for growth and improvements...

Same here.

[The Black Knight]

Another one here:
http://www.blistering.com/fastpage/fpengine.php/link/1/templateid/14127/tempidx/4/menuid/2

[cynic73]

Man, I don´t like that review 

I think they should have compared Among Beggars and Thieves to earlier Falconer albums instead of other bands, there was no mention of earlier albums at all. And I don´t like the critique of Mathias´singing, his great voice is one of the things that makes Falconer my favorite band of all times. They wrote something about Mathias not having the vocal range of other singers in power metal bands....WTF?!     Just because he does´nt squeal like a castrato all the time?

[Avricha]

Gotta agree with cynic73 there. I favour Falconer because Mathias doesn't sound like hundreds of other typical average Metalband singers where after a while of listening you can't make out a difference. It's called unique and it's great.

Oh and the CMJ Review is finally accessible.

Excerpt

... It could all be the foundation for a dramatic, off-Broadway rock musical too, with lead vocalist Mathias Blad fitting nicely in the title role, seeing as how he was a theatrical actor first and power metal crooner second. And it shows. Fans who fell in love with Blad's well-trained and solid tenor when he debuted with Falconer in 2001 will be more than happy with his performance on this, their sixth album. But while his vocals are pitch-perfect and effortless, they often lack the punch needed to equal the intensity of the relentless metal guitar. The vocals shine though on the tracks sung in their native Swedish—"Vargaskall," "Skula, Skorpa, Skalk"—and during the breakdowns when the band gives their sound over to Norwegian folk stylings. ...

[AngelOfMusic]

Another one here:
http://www.blistering.com/fastpage/fpengine.php/link/1/templateid/14127/tempidx/4/menuid/2

Something tells me the reviewer is a death/black/viking metal fan.  They generally abhor anything that even remotely resembles clean vocals.  So I'm not terribly suprised at this review.  IMO, Blad's vocals are one of the best things about Falconer.

[The Black Knight]

I totally agree with all of you guys. Mathias is one of Falconer's many dynamic ingredients that makes me listen to them. I thought the world already had enough of all these silly persons who doesn't accept or approve Mathias' voice. One thing that puzzles me is why these individuals even bother listening to Falconer's material at all, let alone spend time to write pointless reviews about their stuff.

I mean, Mathias has been singing on four albums now. It's not much of a surprise that Falconer's vocalist does not sound like one of those 3000 usual Italian/German power/black metal singers who are all dressed up in tight leather and diamond decorated jockstraps.

[AngelOfMusic]

*pictures Mathias in tight leather and a diamond-studded codpiece.  Brain explodes*


Well see...alot of metalheads think all metal singers should sound a certain way.  For instance, when it comes to women fronting metal, alot of people think operatic vocals are incredibly out of place.  I find that they work incredibly well with symphonic metal.  But for some reason metalheads think metal singers, whether male or female, should all scream or wail or growl.  Or at least sound like they've been drinking Jack Daniel's Whisky for 40 years straight.

[dirge]

Some also think if you like metal then you should dress a certain way, I don't and get a bit of stick off some of the lads at the local rock pubs.  Some people should open their ears... and eyes!

[The Black Knight]

@ AngelOfMusic: Exactly my thoughts also. (And maybe one day Mathias will wear a codpiece on one of the band pics. Just to see both our brains explode. )

@ Dirge: Now, you've just GOT to wear those all-over-print-tees with grinded corpses and blood spurts to like metal!

[Stefan W]

Found one more:
http://www.pitriff.com/modules.php?op=modload&name=Reviews&file=index&req=showcontent&id=1059

[The Black Knight]

 

[AngelOfMusic]

One thing I have to say about Falconer:  Stefan REALLY knows how to write for Mathias' voice.  It's almost uncanny how well the music and Matty's voice go together.  And I think it also presents a bit of a challenge for Mathias, because his vocals have to go all over the scales at times.  It's very rare that you get a musician who knows how to write for a singer's vocal style, but when it happens, it is a thing of beauty.  I think Falconer showcases Mathias' style exceptionally well.

Though I still want to hear Matty sing in musicals.

[Odin]

Something tells me the reviewer is a death/black/viking metal fan.  They generally abhor anything that even remotely resembles clean vocals.  So I'm not terribly suprised at this review.  IMO, Blad's vocals are one of the best things about Falconer.

However might this thought come up? *irony off* You can read this from all the comparison the reviewer draws and even from the very first sentence, when mentioning the heritage of Falconer...

Except for the ridiculous judgement about Mathias' vocal abilities the review is very good, though.