I don't want to sound like and asshole here though most probably that will happen. I read all the self-reviews and marks given and it was kind of funny. I have to note that Falconer was my first ever metal band, back in the distant now year of 2001.
The debut album was amazing, many places I later reazlied given it a 10/10 score or whatever score doesn't matter really. This album is what Falconer at their best is, at least for me. True it might have its flaws but I don't see them - from the beginning to the end there is not 1 weak track, not 1 filler track everything is just perfect - great chemistry at work. You know like a football team - you can have an all-winning team that's made of players/elements that are just perfect when combined. Not everyone has to be a huge star - that's the same with the debut album.
Then the second one lost some of that magic somehow but it was still captivating. Then the true dark ages of Falconer began with the new members and vocalist resulting in these 2 abominations of albums. I'm sorry but I do love the band and I feel I can say it. Horrendous albums indeed, nothing of the previous greatness.
Then as Stefan himself noted Northwind - back on the right track. How very true that is. Some of the magic is back and reborn but still not quite there. And finally ABAT which is a small improvement from Northwind but still good to listen to.
I don't know what directions you will choose, I don't know how the fanbase changed through the years of the debut until now but what I DO know is what made Falconer so great and special for me and I kept them in my heart until this very day. These golden ingredients are:
Unique vocalist, catchy melodies and vocal lines of the sorts that somehow compell you to join in and sing, powerful riffs and guitars as a whole and most importantly - songs in svenska, I can't describe how beautiful this language sounds when sung by Mathias. And you just have to keep covering, so to say, traditional swedish songs it's something that you do best.
And you can deny it but we all know that Falconer was the album that defined that band and is something which is still unreachable. But as we already said - things are slowly getting back on track
Thanks for reading my revelations ;D