Genre: Atmospheric Black Metal
Length: 42:25
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Fallaness is a one-man atmospheric black metal band from Austria. Formed in 2024, the project quickly released its first album that same year, entitled Sagenwelten, which literally means ‘worlds of legend’ in German. Indeed, according to information available on Metal Archives, the theme of this project revolves around the legends of the Danube.
Sagenwelten consists of eight tracks with a total running time of 42:25 minutes. The album was released in December 2024 in digital format and as a digifile CD, limited to only 100 copies, on the Running Wild Productions label. Musically, this is raw and abrasive atmospheric black metal: distorted guitars, keyboards that create a dark and cold atmosphere, and vocals that remain in the background but are persistent. The album also features several tempo changes. The composition is direct, without any superfluous technical elements. What’s clear is that Sagenwelten isn’t crafted for every type of listener.
From the very first track, Die Hexe, I am plunged into a heavy, oppressive and raw atmosphere: the vocals are saturated by the instruments, and from 4:09 onwards, I enjoyed the evolution of the instruments and the atmosphere that gradually takes hold. On Der Nix, the calm, the sound of the river and the keyboard notes serve as an introduction to a melodic composition; then, from 1:24 onwards, an abyssal vocal launches into a fast, frenzied and raw rhythm. I particularly liked the melodies on this track and the beastly scream from 4:39 onwards. Die Mühle starts with a keyboard intro before the melodies take over: it's a captivating track from the very first seconds, although the numerous tempo changes meant I had to listen to it twice to grasp the essence of it. From 3:32 onwards, the female whispers (not sur but it seems famale) add an extra layer of darkness to the music, making it one of my favourite tracks.
On Die Eiche, as on the previous tracks, the intro and the first notes are melodic before shifting to a raw and continuous composition. From the second minute onwards, a very dark and cold soundscape unfolds — a moment I really enjoyed — and at 4:21, the guitar melodies accompanied by raw, high-pitched and dark vocals reinforce this atmosphere.
On Das Moor, after a few keyboard notes, the drums kick in at 0:29, followed by the other instruments. This is a track that, in my opinion, will certainly get more than a few headbangers nodding their heads. The instruments then fade away to make way for a calmer, more melancholic atmosphere, before a well-placed reprise at 4:46, supported by a strong vocal performance. The intro to Der Abgrund (Teil 1) is folkloric, followed by a heavy atmosphere marked by a powerful scream at 1:30 — the best part of the whole album in my opinion. The melodies are also well crafted. On Das Tal (Teil 2), what I liked most was the aggression from 0:19 onwards: a very fast, raw passage, carried by vocals that exude real ferocity. The track then returns to melodies and a heavy atmosphere, with several tempo changes. I loved the composition from 3:05 onwards, which continues until the end. The album concludes with Das Ende, an instrumental track.
