Falconer - The Sceptre Of Deception (2003)

Falconer's third album was also their first after the temporary departure of vocalist Mathias Blad, and his replacement Kristoffer Göbel, while a bit gruffer, is still really good, and the band is now extended to an official five-piece.
What's really annoying about this record is something that's the case with way too many releases - the damn booklet information is so hard to read! Why do so many of these artists insist on small printing, together with dreadful colour co-ordination?  The song titles on the back are virtually impossible to make out. I've managed to work out some of the lyrics, but there's a lot of other printing, presumably about this story of sceptres and kings and things, that I haven't even attempted to decypher.
However, as with their first two releases, there's plenty of good music here, again heavily folk-influenced (with a notable lack of guitar solos), giving them a strong, medieval flavour, and such songs as "The Coronation", "Under The Sword", "Pledge Of Freedom" and "The Sceptre Of Deception" are very worthwhile.
Bad booklet presentation aside, this is another impressive release from a band who, so far, is winning me over.

***1/2