Falaun – Fools

Fools is the debut full-length release by Liverpool’s three-piece Falaun. Originally released in 2020 on April Fools’ Day (April 1st) through Dead Invoices Records, the copy I’ve got is actually a limited to 30 copies repress on a transparent vinyl from the Bulgaria-based Anxiety Attack Rekords, with the proceeds going to grassroots human, animal and environmental rights organisations.

The album hits the right spot for me from multiple angles, not only musically, but also lyrically and aesthetically. It gives me a great pleasure to find one of the newer so-called melodic crust bands that I like, especially as they’re doing the classic dual male-female vocals with a harsh and piercing delivery.

I can’t help thinking that the band sound like an amalgamation of Burning Kitchen, To What End?, Ballast, From Ashes Rise and Tragedy, combining a newer fresh sound, with pummelling d-beats and classic anarcho-punk tropes. Don’t be confused that this is a slow and melodic offering though, as the speed and intensity is pushed almost to a breaking point, with only one of the 17 tracks here, “Penance”, clocking in at about the three minute mark. There’s just the right amount of melodic hooks and leads to create a dynamic and fresh approach to a brutal sounding combo, while Falaun’s lyrics are intelligent, intensely political and totally complement the music, in that they are not afraid to speak against oppression and injustice in an urgent, passionate way—that’s what hardcore punk is all about anyway. I also love the linocut style artwork screen-printed on the cover, the beautiful transparent vinyl and the whole production of this LP. The thoughts, emotions, musical & artistic ensemble of this record make it a definite keeper that I’m going to be spinning for a while.