Heartfalls - Reckoning with the Dead - Album Review - Instrumental Grungy Progressive Post-Rock from USA / South Africa

Today I am writing about a promising instrumental grungy progressive post-rock band; Heartfalls, from USA / South Africa, with, Reckoning with the Dead, their debut studio album released not long ago in 2022.

This is the album Heartfalls, Reckoning With the Dead in it's entirety. All 4 music videos back-to-back as one long video.

Heartfalls is:

Josh Williams- Guitars and BassMatt Dillon- Drums

Mixed by Josh Williams, Mastered by Jamie King.Video by Paul "Alfie" Garcia

Another Wednesday morning, another day of good music. After spending my last hour listening to this new band; Heartfalls, the project of two talented and advanced musicians from different parts of the world; Josh Williams on guitars and bass with Matt Dillon on drums. When I ask myself if anyone wouldn't be interested in playing together with them, cause I know that I would.

First of all, Reckoning with the Dead is an album where you get to hear great riffs, powerful atmosphere, beautiful transitions, moody compositions, live energy, and fantastic performances, blending progressive rock, grunge rock, hard, and post-rock influences in a modern sound character. Musicality and album sound has a strong connection, even though it was familiar to my ears.

Secondly, my favorite is the second song of the album; Activist Dream cause it happened naturally. Sometimes you don't need to do anything and you like something, I know I listened to this song at maximum volume for some reason. For instance, Activist Dream had so much good old-school Metallica hard rock in it with all its glory and muscle, where other songs reminded me of other pioneers that I'm also following such as Gojira, Tool, Porcupine Tree, Riverside, and Opeth. These influences are in the genetics of Heartfalls, a must-list for those who are into those bands.

On the other side of the coin, I have to admit that I wasn't impressed by the work for a few reasons. First of all, I couldn't see enough vision, also didn't look and sound stylish enough to me. The branding doesn't have much artistic and recognizable value as well as the artwork. The music video, scenes, perspective, and concept doesn't have anything in common, although they are separately good pieces. In the end, these pieces didn't mean something else together.

Secondly, releasing a full Reckoning with the Dead album music video idea was a brilliant one, but was a difficult experience as a viewer (20:19). It was after the first minute I had to give up watching it carefully cause it was simply disturbing, creating music videos with stock images/footages was also a bad move for any art creator. Does anyone remember seeing scenes in the movies where you get to see a tied madman watching changing pictures to get more mad? What was the difference? I asked myself...

Also, Reckoning with the Dead album is not a kind that you listen to it in one sitting cause I felt like there's not enough new I am hearing. If I am totally honest, I'd tell them to get a vocalist with specific character. The instrumental music listener circle is a narrow one and I never belonged there as a listener. It is unpleasant to listen to instrumental music unless there's something extraordinary like in Animals as Leaders.

No matter what, I have to admit that I had a good time listening to Heartfalls' debut studio album; Reckoning with the Dead. No one will argue it's a powerful debut with good old school grungy progressive post-rock influences, and established modern sound. Thanks for reading.

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