Levia - Fallin' (2012) - A step towards popular Japanese pop and rock music - 75% (04/11/12)

Here comes the third and to date last release of the diversified Japanese metal act Levia. This release can be seen as a step in a different direction than before. After the very balanced first single, the band's second strike got a heavier and also more avantgarde orientated or progressive touch. The third single heads for a different direction and presents us three more melodic songs with quite catchy hooks and a more commercial approach. It's not necessarily a step back but simply a step in the new direction from an objective point of view. From a more subjective point of view, I prefered the band's heavier and quite courageous apporach on their second single.

Let's get a little bit into the details for each one of the three songs. The opener and title track has a quite beautiful and enchanting melody to kick this short release off with. The track develops a strong European power metal touch that might put tears of joy in the eyes of contemporary Stratovarius fans for example. On the other side, I miss a unique touch in the track even though the melodies are catchy. To be more precise, I miss the beafier parts that have always represented one of the two sides of this band and that is now rather absent in this song.

The second song "Chain" tries to mix a few heavier riffs with some slight electronic music influences but a true innovation or at least passion is missing on this tune. Add to this, that one feels somehow as if one had heard this song before in a very similar way from the band but maybe that's just me. In the end, this can't convince me and is nothing but a good average track.

Thank God, the last track "Fortune" is a little bit better. It is close to the first song and can be described as a power metal ballad of European inspiration but the song is so catchy that it weights up its slight lack of originality. This song is potentially the best commercial track the band has ever composed to date. With this kind of music, they might easily hit the radios in their home country and this could help them to get at last the attention they are worthy of.

"Fallin'" might be the band's least convincing release in my opinion but it still has an excellent commercial potential and is filled with catchy and enchanting melodies. Metal fans might be a little bit disappointed but fans of Japanese rock and pop music might even prefer this release to the first two ones that I adored quite a lot. Choose your camp but give these four guys a chance if you haven't given them one yet. Let's cross the fingers that these guys might release a true full length record instead of a new single in the near future.