Metal | Progressive metal | Thrash
80%
Fallen Keys—Pseudomerica (2022)
Details
Recorded and produced by Fallen Keys. Mixed and mastered by Matt Dougherty.
Released independently on Friday 20 May 2022.
For fans of Dream Theater, Pantera, Lamb of God, Devin Townsend
Bandcamp | Facebook | Instagram | Website | YouTube
Band
- Fallen Keys—Vocals, guitar, bass, drum programming
Also
- Gang vocals—Davey Miller, Mark Braham and various Fiverr sellers
- Voiceovers—Various Fiverr sellers
- Bailey Ryan—Djembe on “the Eliminationists”
Tracks
- E pluribus nihil
- Critical mass
- Persuasive delirium
- Anti-social media
- w0rd str8
- [Sponsored content]
- Rawhide
- Regression to the mean
- the Eliminationists
- Expiring minds want to know
- Moment of xenophobia
- Gearground
- #diesiræ
- For a muse of fire
- Caveat emptier
- Freedumb
- Post engagement
Review
Fallen Keys is a one-man progressive metal project from Philadelphia fusing classic heavy metal, thrash, grunge, groove metal, early 2000s metalcore and a handful of well-placed humour.
Following the release of Instauration (2019), an intense and introspective EP of thrash instrumentals, one-man metal project Fallen Keys is ready to let his voice be heard on his debut album, Pseudomerica (2022).
In these uncertain times America needs nothing
Lyrics to opening track “E pluribus nihil”
Nothing is greater than America
Nothing is more powerful than America
Nothing can change America
Nothing can save America Believe in nothing!
Thus begins this heavy metal ‘tour de farce’ which guides the listener through the absurd technology-induced fever dream of the United States in the age of social media – a culture of consumerism, narcissism and, increasingly, nihilism.
Lyrically, the album explores themes of mass hysteria, declining trust in institutions, weaponized tribalism, social-engineering vis-a-vis social media, and the concentration of power in the hands of fewer and fewer mega-corporations (the album even pauses for an advertisement from one such company).
Musically, each track features a unique blend of influences, textures and metal sub-genres blended together with non-traditional arrangements, tempo and time-signature changes.
And, oh! what fun this album is! While the promo material compared it to Dream Theater, Pantera and Lamb of God, to me this shares more of a stage with the likes of Devin Townsend, Steve Vai and Frank Zappa as these beautifully-crafted, melodic and thrashing songs are infused with a tongue-in-cheek humour that only contributes to the overall vibe of this album.
Conclusion
Fans of heavy music will all find something to love in this surreal reflection of surreal times, whether in full-out rockers like “Persuasive delirium” or funky numbers like “Anti-social media”.
Review score: 80%
Disclosure
MDPR contacted me inviting me to preview Fallen Keys’ forthcoming album, thank you. I have no connections to either MDPR or Fallen Keys. I’m not being paid to review this. But I did get a free digital copy of the album to review which is pretty cool. Many thanks to Zach from MDPR, and to Fallen Keys for continuing to create fresh, exciting music.