Turmoil seems to surround Falconer and it comes as no surprise that the band features some new members after the conflicts that occurred. It is also more than clear that Falconer were very disappointed with their previous release The Scepter Of Deception and that the band is looking for a new start with Grime vs. Grandeur. The question of course is whether they have succeeded or not?

I’m afraid that I can’t really tell you, as my feelings on this release are rather mixed. This is partly due to the negative impact the first song had – and to a certain extend still has – on me when I first heard it. “Emotional Skies” opens this disk with a great riff in the true Falconer style and just as I’m starting to think this is going to be great stuff, the band shifts into a terribly corny chorus that sounds so commercial it’s almost painful. Is this what Falconer meant with a new start?

Luckily not. The rest of the material is completely different and pretty diverse in fact. The second track “Purgatory Time” is fast and upbeat with a great Viking riff and all in all a good straightforward no nonsense metal track. But it gets better, “I Refuse”, shows a completely new face of Falconer; a slow and heavy track with distorted vocals and a great chorus that just forces you to sing along; easily the best song.

Unfortunately, the fourth track “Humanity Overdose” while being a very diverse track overall, again features a too corny chorus to my liking.

One last song that deserves mentioning is “Jack The Knife” a song completely written by singer Kristoffer Göbel. Although the lyrical concept is rather cliché, this track shows that it pays off to share songwriting duties; while retaining the Falconer sound, it is much more straightforward heavy metal with maybe even a light touch of Iced Earth. “Jack The Knife” is definitely one of the better songs on Grime vs. Grandeur with great vocals and a true heavy metal spirit.

Grime vs. Grandeur is a very decent album that once again shows the unique style of heavy metal that Falconer plays. It’s much more straightforward and down to earth than its predecessor with tracks that are compact and diverse. Unfortunately, the album has its corny parts which put me off but this is a matter of personal opinion. If you are looking for decent heavy metal with its own unique style then Falconer is the way to go.