The bio of this german five-piece band tells me that “Bloodred Salvation” is already their fourth full length album they released upon the world. It tells me also that Fall of Serenity was formed back in spring 1998 and recorded their first full length in October of that same year.Knowing these things, when I put the cd in my cd-player, I expected some fine crafted metal. I was not disappointed, but I wouldn’t be a Dutchman if didn’t had some linear notes.

The cd begins with an intro compromising of some fx and a piano playing a rather cheerful tune. It sounds nice but a little out of place when you expect grinding guitars (what do you think when that track is called “Blood Starts Running”?!). But after about 40 seconds or so, the expected guitars show up, start ripping apart the intro and kick you right “Out Of The Clouds” (track 2). Nice! There’s a lot of musical craftsmanship to be found in here. And the quality of the songs stays the same through out the whole of the album. Typical German well-made quality mixed together with three spoons of At The Gates, two spoons of Dismember, a half cup of today’s modern hardcore, and some electronic synth effects added to it all. Leif Jensen from Dew Scented can be heard on a couple of tracks doings some backing vocals.

And I bet that they certainly know how to shred a stage.
I also have to place a small linear note here. It‘s about the instrumental track “Bloodred Salvation” This is piano tune in the vain of the intro. Although I like it and it’s well played, I think it sounds out of place with the rest of the album, just like the intro.

I’m a sucker for this kind of cross-over music, so I listen to a lot of bands who are more or less playing along that same kind of recipe or a slight a variation to it.
But here’s also my major “linear note”. We’ve all heard this before. Fall of Serenity could not surprise nor amaze me. Should they? No, they shouldn’t, because “Bloodred Salvation” sounds solid and good and I think there are just enough recognizable points in the music to give Fall of Serenity a face of there own in this cross-over genre. But is it enough to be noticed by a broader audience? No, I think not. But if this is what these five Germans are aiming at, and they try to be a little more inventive and daring with their next songs, then I’m already looking forward to their next album.