Pointless video post: ‘Carnival of disgust’ by Falconer

I have read that Swedish power / folk metal band Falconer is an acquired taste, a ‘grower’ of a band. If so, I seem to have acquired the taste fairly quickly. This particular blend of folk instrumentation with melodic heavy metal (emphasis on the HEAVY) works incredibly well, and Mathias Blad’s soulful baritone is nothing short of commanding, on this song in particular. (I would go so far as to compare him with the legendary Eric Clayton of Saviour Machine.) Both the song and the music video put the lie to the notions that power metal cannot a.) have complex and deep lyrics and b.) seriously tackle modern social issues. The subtext of the video (not subtle, but well-executed – no pun intended – and thoughtful all the same) is that the death penalty is not just dehumanising to the executed, but it also robs the executioner and the complicit culture of a certain level of basic dignity. One note of warning; if you or your workplace don’t much care for blood or graphic depictions of a mediaeval beheading, best give this video a pass.