Montreal’s self-described progressive alternate band Fall of Knowledge released their debut EP last month, called Silent Majority, and I’ve been spinning it on and off ever since, trying to wrap my head around it. It has this quality that sounds instantly familiar while evading categorization. Any time I felt I had them pegged, the next bit would evoke different influences.
Looking at the influences listed on their Facebook page, it’s no surprise that their hard rock blend of progressive metal and modern alternative defies description. They’ve taken bits from Muse, Alice in Chains, Evanescence, Porcupine Tree, Tool, U2 and many more and melded all of those into a cohesive whole that takes on a new life of its own. At times I heard a lot of Dream Theater in some of the more atmospheric passages, but that’s probably a kind of musical Rorschach test where one hears what they are familiar with.
The songwriting relies a lot on textures, and the clean production allows the band to build their songs in multiple layers. It’s progressive rock without the shredding or grunge with more precise musicianship. Vocalist Micah’s voice is soulful and strong, and the band’s musicianship is very solid. However you want to present it, it’s damn good, and their music should have crossover appeal across fans of all these artists. Whether you like modern rock, prog, alt rock, grunge or even metal, Fall of Knowledge might be to your liking.
Check them out on Facebook or at fallofknowledge.com
He's also a regular contributor at the excellent news site Montreal Rampage
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