Employed To Serve – Fallen Star

Written by on 28-06-2025 at 08:59.

Touring With Gojira in 2022 has certainly paid off for the British Employed To Serve. With the then new Conquering in their pocket, many new souls were won. On this latest Fallen Star, they also use a smart trump card to build even more ‘brand awareness’, but more on that later. On the previous album – number five in the discography – there was already a shift in style to be heard, but this time the quintet really has set itseld only few limits. Fallen Star is released via Spinefarm Records.

Few limits is perhaps a bit exaggerated, because the common thread of Employed‘s music has not been tinkered with much. Opener Treachery starts off nice and raw and with some breakdowns and cool tempo changes it is an old-fashioned hit. Familiar Pain, Now Thy Kingdom Come (cool solos during both) and the strong closing track From This Day Forward also have the same heavy and unpolished character. Here and there we hear some more variation in between all the violence by means of clean vocals from guitarist Sammy Urwin, something that provides a nice change and a nice counterbalance to the usually raw screaming vocals of Justine Jones. With a bit more melody, clean vocals and a good balance between hard and subdued, the title track, Breaks Me Down and the very cool The Renegades also make sense. It is mainly the cool guitar riffs and the stable grunts of Justine that are satisfying.

Let’s get back to the smart trump card that Employed To Serve has deployed this round: none other than Will Ramos of Lorna Shore sings along on the haunting hand grenade Atonement. The singer also does this in clean vocals, something we have not heard from him often (or at all) before. Super cool single of course! In addition, we also find guest contributions from Serena Cherry (Svalbard) and Jesse Leach (Killswitch Engage) on this album. Although Last Laugh with Serena’s contribution is a little less memorable, the dream come true for the band to get Jesse Leach was a good choice. A nice metalcore song including a cool breakdown and the recognizable voice of Leach with which he – as Will Ramos – also leaves his mark on the result. Smart choice to implement these artists in the music.

It makes Fallen Star a beautiful metalcore album full of variety with angles that we have not heard before from Employed To Serve. Despite all the variation and subtle excursions, they do not deny their roots and the fusion is once again successful. This band is steadily building and does so with verve. Metalcore fans will definitely get something beautiful with this album!

Score:

85/100

Label:

Spinefarm Records, 2025

Tracklisting:

  1. Treachery
  2. Fallen Star
  3. Atonement
  4. Breaks Me Down
  5. Familiar Pain
  6. Brother, Stand Beside Me
  7. Now Thy Kingdom Come
  8. Last Laugh
  9. Whose Side Are You On?
  10. The Renegades
  11. From This Day Forward

Line-up:

  • Justine Jones – Vocals
  • Sammy Urwin – Guitar
  • Richard Jacobs – Guitar
  • Jamie Venning – Bass guitar
  • Robbie Back – Drums

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