FALL CITY FALL

Calgary's FALL CITY FALL are still only making a name for themselves, but what they're doing right is seeking to push the tired-out screamo and proto 'core platitudes towards something real. After five years of fine-tuning their craft with a couple of EPs to their credit ("1629" and "Dead Saints"),FALL CITY FALL come out swinging with their deafening full-length debut, "Victus".

Though FALL CITY FALL will be a hard sell to those who could care less about NORMA JEAN, THE DILLINGER ESCAPE PLAN, QUELL and THE CHARIOT, those who've supported said bands over the years are going to readily grab onto the bitter chaos of "Victus" like it's part of a second, nastier coming of its wilted ilk.

FALL CITY FALL bears two yelpers (Nathan Zorn and Keenan Pylychaty) jockeying for every inch of space not occupied by squelching feedback and clumping counter tempos. Zorn and Pylychaty ralf, rip, spit and snort throughout "Victus"' 29 minutes of screeching pandemonium, while the rest of the band (Jordon Storey, guitars, Nathan Pope, drums and Andre Urquidi, bass) whip the crap out the of air around them.

"Shallow Believer", "Many Masters", "Dissentipede", "Dead Saints", "Bitter to the End" and "Anxiety Attack" relish teetering on the edge of recklessness amidst the spiraling blitzes, grinding straits and the occasional breakdown section that knows when to get out as soon as it gets in. The recurring theme of false piety and duplicitous fanaticism turns "Victus" into one ugly beast, which Zorn and Pylychaty personify vociferously on the scuttling "Taken" and "St. James". Everything is wrong and everything is lost. Thus we're all fucked, as they taunt their listeners with the same flagellating effect as a levied act of contrition. Good times.

The instrumental "Many Lives" serves as not only a breather from all of "Victus"' auditory abuse, it gives FALL CITY FALL the opportunity to show off some different chops. Particularly cool is Nathan Pope's slick stick polyrhythm accenting his primary plod. Pope builds an ominous slide vibe before "Shallow Believer" runs like hell with every lick of fury the band has stationed inside themselves.

Fiercer and much more efficient than your typical screamo camp, FALL CITY FALL may be some jaded chaps, but they'll easily convert newcomers to their blaring anti-litany.