Among Beggars and Thieves reviews sprouting up

[Stefan W]

The writer of this review seems to be a really intelligent individual:
http://www.revolution-music.dk/

[des]

Those Austrians, bad reviews and imprisoning families in the basement.
A sadistic culture thay have.

sorry, but I hope you don't mean that serious.

[AngelOfMusic]

Allow me to say: Fucking idiots!!!!!!! To put it short, their opinion is exactly the opposite to mine. The musical/folk is exactly what makes it good.
PLaying "metal" with leather pants and spikes is done by a thousand bands allready.

Excuse my sort of scranky reaction............gotta let of some steam.

I can't say I blame you for your reaction.  That was an aweful review.  It isn't exactly congruent with a 3.5/5 score, either.  And the reviewer sent it to the Falconer Myspace, too.  What nerve, eh? 

[Prab]

Those Austrians, bad reviews and imprisoning families in the basement.
A sadistic culture thay have.

Okay, and now let's have the word of one of those sadistic and family imprisoning fellows, who has been contributing to this forum and also been a Falconite for years, shall we?

I understand Stefan's scranky reaction really well. I reacted a bit like that too, when I first read the Stormbringer Review (click). That's why I immediately wrote a comment to the reviewer guy. If you scroll down on that review, you'll see that short conversation, only four comments. Yap, that "Minstrel" guy is actually ME.

So, Avricha, has already translated the review very well! Ancient Minstrel's translation was - sorry to say that, I'm just being honest - fairly bad and invoking misunderstandings. I have the impression that his english skills are far more improved that his skill in german.

Let me just translate the four comments for you too. That will give you the whole picture.

An interesting review, Baphomet. Really legibly written and inspiring discussion.

Falconer and musical - two subjects that should not be separated from each other, as you've assumed correctly. Mathias Blad is a professional musical singer. I also think that his voice is "untypical" in metal, but that's what makes Falconer so unique, I claim. There are already more than enough typical falsetto singing power metal singers or raspy voiced singers (like the interim ex-Falconer singer Kristoffer Göbels) in this genre. I am totally aware that it's the just the reviewers personal view and opinion, but - do metal vocals necessarily have to sound "raw, evil and hard" (as opposed to "too clear, to nice and too soft" [as he had written in the review])?
Baphomet, one more question, what do you think of their first two cds "Falconer" and "Chapters From A Vale Forlorn"? I'm asking you, because I think that you were somehow rather surprised by those, seemingly unexpected, "doublebass-attacks". The first two albums perfectly prove that Falconer are definitely capable of writing fast power metal songs [as opposed to "soft musical like songs" as he wrote in his review].
Is this the first album of Falconer that you've heard or reviewed?
Don't get my comment wrong or even trolling, this is just about discussion.

Greetz
Minstrel

Hallo!
I didn't know that that guy is a musical singer. I have to agree to what you said, because this really makes FALCONER unique (pay attention to my conclusion).
No, metal vocals don't need to always be "raw, evil and hard"... that's why I posted this thesis and reduced the absence of a "typically" metal voice to my own personal view and opinion.
Yes, that's true, it's the first FALCONER-cd that I've listened to.
Regards,
Baphomet

Hi!
Wow, a quick answer! I like that.
I can really recommend those first two albums to you. They are without doubt among the strongest albums of this band. These "beginning" works of Falconer really add to the picture of everything they've released afterwards.
So, if you are interested in this genre and especially the music of this band, just check them out.
Song suggestions: "Mindtraveller", "Clarion Call", "Upon The Grave Of Guilt", "Portals of Light"
Greetz
Minstrel

ok, thanks for the suggestion!

That reviewer guy simply didn't know anything about what he was actually writing. He even agreed on checking out other stuff by the band (if he didn't give a shit, why would he even bother to answer to my comment or even thanking me for the suggestion?).

So, as everyone here can see now, we Austrians don't only imprisonate family and are sadistic, no! here comes the surprise: we also stand up for our most favorite bands, and confront reviewers who write bullshit.

Thanks for the attention,
Prab out

[Ancient Minstrel]

Hmm, I did misunderstand that last part concerning the Swedish lyrics. But when I read Avricha's translation it was all (except the part about Swedish) the way I understood it, so if anything else was different it must be because I was sloppy writing down what I meant. For example that part with the hard musical, I noticed that I had formulated in a very strange way in my post.

But of course, my English is much better than my German.

(Now when I read that part about the Swedish lyrics again, I am surprised how I could misinterpret it so ...) 

[The Black Knight]

The writer of this review seems to be a really intelligent individual:
http://www.revolution-music.dk/

Now here's a guy who actually listened to the whole album (or at least parts of it, which seems to be very rare among the reviewers).
I think this review points out just about exactly what I feel for this album...

Could you please translate it to English, monsieur Hasse?

(And I simply adore the word "pladesmed".)

[cynic73]

The writer of this review seems to be a really intelligent individual:
http://www.revolution-music.dk/

Great review!
And quite easy for me as a Swede to understand the Danish language when it´s written. It´s a totally different thing trying to understand a Dane when he/she speaks  ;D (just thought I should attack the Danes a little, so the Austrians don´t have to take all the flak  )

[jakob_hasse]

Ok, dit ord er min lov, ærede knægt!

This is a (very) quick translation of the Danish review:
(I don't know if I agree with you Stefan, I thought many of his senteces were a little strange...  )

This is how to do a power/folk metal CD. In 2001 Falconer were elected the new coming band
of the year by many of the biggest metal magazines. It's now 2008 and they are certainly
not newcomers anymore. If they haven't set a name for themselves by now, this record
will.

It's been a while since a record has made me smile so much. Everything works well, from the
extremely great melodies to the great production. And the mix by Andy LaRocque just tops it
off. And I can't even say anything bad about the vocals this time. Well, Mathias Blads voice
isn't very wide, but it doesn't matter at all, because at no time does he try to push his
voice or do something he can't pull off. He knows what he can do and he sticks with it and
his voice is well and can carry a tune, like very few singers. This is what characterizes this
record, one good melody after another, both musically and song wise. There is tempo, there are
cool riffs and delicious solos all the way through, it's one of those records which make me
totally ecstatic. It is so varied and nice, regardless if it's in English or Swedish it really
works - even though I have a preference for the Swedish tracks "Vargaskall" and "Viddernas mann".
If Falconer made bras as good as this record, even Pamela Anderson wouldn't have to worry
about her tits falling out.
The guitars, which are played by Stefan Weinerhall and Jimmy Hedlund are like angelic voices
to my ears. The sound and the mix are no less than fantastic. Wow to the sound of the drums
which really gets justice(?). What can I say besides, if you are into power metal and songs
about the medieval lives of beggars and thieves, you have to go to your local record store
and pick up this new album from Falconer "Among Beggars and Thieves", which for me so far
is the record of the year, no less!

[AngelOfMusic]

If Falconer made bras as good as this record, even Pamela Anderson wouldn't have to worry
about her tits falling out.

  

[The Black Knight]

If Falconer made bras as good as this record, even Pamela Anderson wouldn't have to worry
about her tits falling out.

  

ROTFLMAO

[Prab]

Okay, now here is another Austrian Review to smooth ruffled feathers.
It was published in the "Darkscene Metal Magazin" which is a online webzine with very much a vaster readership than stormbringer ever had.

I translated it. They gave the album a 7,5/10.
Let's reconsider the comments about "those Austrians":

Actually everything is alright again for Falconer, after Mathias Blad rejoined the band. “Northwind” marked the comeback of the man with the charismatic voice, followed the thread of the first two albums and offered exactly that kind of solemn and beautiful metal fare, that once brought the band a multitude of following with the grand debut album. The incredible Meininghaus-artwork of “Among Beggars And Thieves” (a concept album about the medieval life of beggars and thieves) already makes one wish for the typical Falconer fare and then the content of the by now sixth album, which was very impressively produced by Andy LaRoque, will never disappoint anybody.
It starts outright with “Field Of Sorrow”, and this doublebass metal song with a folkloric touch of the highly melodic kind dashes ahead and pleases the listeners. As if the weaker albums of the past years never existed, Falconer offer their typical fare which is full of familiar impressions, grand melodies and delicate instrumentals. There is nothing completely new or surprising to be found here, but the real fans of the band wouldn’t care too much about that. They would rather rejoice in catchy tunes like “Man Of The Hour”, “Carnival Of Disgust”, which is already known through the video clip, another catchy song called “Boiling Led”, or in the long “Dreams And Pyres”, a song that combines all the strengths of this band. Despite all the known trademarks and despite the little bit corny, Swedish sung “Vargaskall”, Falconer manages to never ever become boring, obtrusive or overblown. It’s very seldom these days that such wonderful melodies, singing highspeed parts, groovy rhthms, acoustic passages and dozens of folky handcraft sound so evenly good. Above them all reigns the voice of musicalsinger Blad, who once again effortlessly manages to provide this splendid operatic charme to all those very romantic and solemn songs, which can only be done by Falconer with Mathias Blad on the microphone and which grants them exactly that last spark of unobtrusive easiness, beauty and sweeping power, which elevates the Swedes from all the rest of the genre.

For me “Among Beggars And Thieves” might even be the best Falconer Album since the glorious, but unrivaled, debut album and fans of the band will also be thrilled, just as well as friends of bombastic folk-metal art of the symphonic kind.

[Stefan W]

Ok, I think you (the Austrians) are now granted forgivness..

[cynic73]

Yeah, that was a good Austrian review, but "Vargaskall" corny?

[Prab]

OH, HALLOWED BE THE NAME OF THE SON OF THE STORM AND HIS POWER BELTS AND MAGIC RINGS!

[The Black Knight]

And then, finally, The Mighty Prabster went into chronic delirium.