AWAITING DOWNFALL is a Modern Metal/Modern Thrash band based out of Geseke, Germany. Formed in 2009, they suffered from line-up changes for the first few years, until they were able to resume work on a demo which was released in 2014. They play a mix between Thrash Metal and Classic Metal, with Modern influences. The Encyclopaedia Metallum however categorizes them as a Metalcore band. "Distant Call" is the first full-length album release, and contains twelve tracks. "The Forest's Eyes" opens the album, with echoing voices whispered in the wind, that turn to frightening screams. It's a mid-tempo song featuring vocals done in Metalcore style...screams in the verses and cleans in the chorus. It's a little thin overall, perhaps reflective of a young band just getting their bearings. "Smell of Deceipt" has a little more bombast, but the clean vocals are just a little pitchy. Besides this the song rings a little fuller and more complete. The melodies connect well here.

"From Martyr to Murdered" hears them stretching out a bit more, with acoustic guitar and a more complicated riff. The clean vocals are still just off for me here again. It's hard to put my finger on exactly what rubs me except to say perhaps they are just too bland in their delivery and without enough convincing emotion. "Awake" is a little better in that they embrace the dissonance in this track, and it is full of mystery and suspense in its desolate sound. Some nimble lead guitar work adds support. "Detective God" is much more in the crosshairs of what you would hear in the Metalcore genre...the tortured Death vocals, the harmonic cleans, and placed in the proper order of the song structure. "Racks Upon Racks" has a great opening riff, with well-placed harmonized guitar, but too quickly settles into an un-interesting, lumbering riff in the verse. You can hear the potential but it's never quite reached. "Feel What I Feel" however is a nice departure...a slower song with more emotion and without any harsh vocals. They do a better job with melody here as well.

The German titled "Welcshmerz" closes the album...a seven-minute epic. There are again really strong moments here but they fail to connect overall. Let's talk about the flow of the melodies here. Though I know it's not central to Metal music in general, it is rather essential in Metalcore. They sport the clean vocal harmonies often enough, but are just unable to join them in an consistently cohesive manner. I have always asserted that a good melody line is harder to write than a brutal riff, and I think "Distant Call" is very reflective of this problem.