Introducing… Fall of Messiah

Fall of Messiah are a French screamo post-rock quartet. They’ve been creating music for around 20 years, which may sound odd in the context of an “introducing…” post. However, they are new to me, and their last album was over six years ago, so perhaps for some it’s a reintroduction. The band went through a period of self-doubt, but judging by the two singles released since their return, they’ve more than recovered!

What makes Fall of Messiah stand out is that they create both screamo and instrumental rock music. Regardless of whether the vocals are included, the band always leads with dramatic post-hardcore guitar up front. That creates a nail-biting tension and a theatrical chaos that I could really tap into. Screamo vocals are divisive, so I’ve included both of their recent singles.

‘Meadows’ is a frantic and caustic single, with impassioned vocals from their drummer and lead vocalist, Pierre Bailleul. They punctuate Fall of Messiah’s sound that feels like they are answering the question, “what if we placed post-rock tropes into a hardcore rock setting?”

Their more recent single ‘…New Path’ is instrumental, yet keeps that same vibe. The riffs are bolder, and the song perhaps more traditionally rock structured, but the tension, searching, and yearning that spill out of the guitars and bass are stronger than ever.

I can appreciate both sides of Fall of Messiah’s sound in different ways, and both rock. Their music videos pay homage to their northern roots. ‘Meadows’ was set in the winter forests, whereas ‘…New Path’ was filmed in their recording studio. Speaking about the new video, Piette explains:

“Fun fact: we were trying to make this video ourselves and ended up filming in our rehearsal space, lost in the middle of the fields in Flanders. I found the image interesting in retrospect because it’s where it all started, where we’ve been creating for 20 years, and this room witnessed our teenage parties, our evenings spent composing and listening to music. We’ve hosted bands from all walks of life (Kid Crash, La Dispute, Shy, Low, Le Pré Où Je Suis Mort, Mutiny On The Bounty, Intohimo, Caravels, Chalk Hands, Octaves, Vasa, Alright the Captain…). A room filled with memories, and today, with everything we’ve experienced and all our evolution, it remains a central pillar of Fall Of Messiah’s story. Even if we’re heading down “new paths”“

Perhaps it is those 20 years in that same space that gave them back their voice and confidence…

Both singles are out now. Fall of Messiah’s forthcoming fifth album, ‘Green Lands’, is out on 26th April. You can pre-order the album on Bandcamp. For all other information about Fall of Messiah, follow them on Facebook.

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