Falgar are a one-man army from the exotic isle of Puerto Rico. It was formed in 2007 in the capital San Juan by Etienne Goldberg, formerly in Amenofis. After two demos (in 2007 and 2008), Falgar released a first EP, I Was Welcomed By Death (2008), shortly after followed by the debut full length, called Paths Which You Seek (2009). Beyond The Fading Stars followed in 2010, the EP Crepusculum in 2011, and on April 15th 2013 Nebular Winter Productions released the tape La Dama Del Alba, which this review will deal with, though in a limited edition of 100 copies only. Actually, it was re-issued very recently, together with the new album Lajania (review: coming up very soon), via Kunsthauch - which I am very grateful for!
La Dama Del Alba lasts for thirty eight minutes and opens with the ritual, little shamanistic and hypnotic intro Invocación, which I think is very interesting, despite its very short length, because of the oppressive and breath-taking approach. The real stuff starts with the first ‘real’ song, which is the title track. La Dama Del Alba brings somewhat depressing and highly grim Black Metal with a purest underground-feeling and a desperate atmosphere. It’s slow and oppressive, spawn from a bleak, abyssal womb, focusing on melancholic and ambient melodies. With the next track, Renacimiento, I cannot ignore my first impression anymore: this is early-Burzum worship in blood and tears (and then I am referring to the pre-prison period). With Seguiré this impression gets strengthened, though there are quite some à la older Shining too. With the opening riff of Fango Y Frío I am totally blown away. It totally reminds me to one of the most majestic album-openers in history, The Ultimate Death Worship (Limbonic Art), when it comes to the heavy intensity (or intense heaviness). Laberintos goes totally on in the vein of the first half of the album, and with the last track, Artemisa, we’re touching the minimal, repetitive and dreamy ambiental spheres of Vinterriket, Moloch, Nebula VII and the likes.
Unnecessary to say that this is highly recommended, I guess…