Artist: FALCONER
Album: ARMOD LTD. EDIT. (DIGI)

Release date: 2011
Media type: CD

In 1999 FALCONER recorded a demo as a solo project by Stefan Weinerhall (ex-MITHOTYN) and Mathias Blad was found to do the vocals as a session member. Karsten Larsson (ex-MITHOTYN) joined on drums and the project became more of a band. The debut album "Falconer" was released in March 2001. They were chosen as "Newcomer of the year" by many leading magazines. From the beginning the band was not planned to play live but with the success of the album the offers came.

Exactly one year after the last recording session FALCONER returned to the studio to record "Chapters From A Vale Forlorn", which was released in March 2002. Joining the band's touring line-up were Anders Johansson on second guitar and Peder Johansson on bass. In order to play live more they had to get a new vocalist, since Mathias had a tight schedule at work and couldn't give the band more time. They split amicably in November 2002.

Kristoffer Gobel got to fill his shoes. In November 2003 the new album "Sceptre of Deception" was released. After its release the band embarked on a small tour of Europe. Anders and Peder parted with the band in mutual agreement in 2004 and was soon replaced with Jimmy Hedlund (guitar) and Magnus Linhardt (bass). This gave the band an always attending bass player and a extra ordinary lead guitarist.

In May 2005 "Grime vs. grandeur" was released, but it wasn't the typical FALCONER album. It was harder and more mainstream than before. Many thought that it didn't fit under the FALCONER moniker. Slowly the band started to realise this too. As the song writing for a next album progressed, folk music and epic metal found its way back into the band's style more and more. They felt that to do this material justice, it had to be sung by former member Mathias Blad, who returned in November 2005.

So does this mean there won't be any live activity in the future since the first split with him was because of this matter? Well, the band will play live, but pick the gigs worth rehearsing for. The next album "Northwind" was released in September 2006.

They played some summer festivals in 2007, Wacken and Sweden roch for example. Back on track and feeling at home again musically speaking they went straight on to writing the next album.

For the sixth time they returned to Andy La Rocque's studio Sonic train studio to record "Among beggars and thieves" in late 2008 which have a bit more tempo and action than its predecessor and with the lyrics revolving around the misery, poverty and hard times of medieval Sweden. Just a few smaller gigs followed in the typical Falconer manor since they consider themselves mainly a studio band just doing occasional gigs.

In the end of 2010 they returned to the usual studio to record their new album ARMOD which is an album where they pay tribute to the influences of folk music. A somewhat more down to earth album with no keyboards but with more fiddles and flutes and everything sung in Swedish to fit the traditional feeling of the songs and atmosphere that has always been the base on which the band stand on. This is to be considered a "one off" album and not the new direction of the band. Although the material is embracing the traditional folk music, the major part is still penned by the band itself.

TRACKLIST:

1 Svarta Ankan
2 2 Dimmornas Drottning  
3 Griftefrid  
4 O, Tysta Ensamhet  
5 Vid Rosornas Grav  
6 Grimborg  
7 Herr Peder Och Hans Syster  
8 Eklundapolskan  
9 Grimasch Om Morgonen  
10 Fru Silfver  
11 Gammal Fabodpsalm

ENGLISH BONUS-VERSIONS:

12. Black Widow
13. Grimborg
14. By The Roses’ Grave
15. O, Silent Solitude

LINE-UP:

Mathias Blad: Vocals
Stefan Weinerhall: Guitar and Keyboards
Jimmy Hedlund: Guitar
Magnus Linhardt: Bass
Karsten Larsson: Drums