Changeling – Changeling
Review by: Chad Pab
Review Score: 10
Changeling’s self-titled debut is an exhilarating adventure from start to finish. I decided to break it down track by track to highlight individual moments rather than trying to sum up the entire album in one go.
Track 1: Introject
A fitting opener that sets the tone well. I especially like the moment the bass drops in just before the full band kicks off, it sounds like a bomb being dropped, then the band coming in is the explosion.
Track 2: Instant Results
A bit of an odd name for a metal track, but don’t let that fool you. It starts with some seriously impressive guitar work and maintains a futuristic edge throughout. The low vocals really hit for me, but what also stood out was the vocal diversity. I’m personally not big on the high-intensity clean vocal style used a little further on in the track, but I have to admit it works in the context of the song and didn’t take anything away from the overall experience for me.
Track 3: Falling in Circles
Once again, the guitar playing is a standout. Fountainhead’s tone and phrasing make every riff worth hearing. Changeling isn’t messing around.
Track 4: World What World
An unexpected oud opens the track, and goes on to a more normal song progression with verses and choruses. This regularity keeps things engaging for the listener with the ear worm chorus and more common style song progression. By now, I realized this album isn’t just a collection of songs—it’s a well-constructed journey. Different instruments and textures come together to form a cohesive whole, truly worthy of the name Changeling.
Track 5: Interlude
A brief, sub-minute piece that acts as a breath before the next plunge. It’s both quick and effective.
Track 6: Changeling Changeling Changeling!
This is where the band fully merges feeling with technicality. There are tribal-sounding drums, chanting, and standout fretless bass moments that add a lot to the atmosphere. It’s progressive metal with emotional depth, which is hard to pull off, but they have here.
Track 7: Abyss
By this point, if you hadn’t noticed the excellence in songwriting, Abyss makes it impossible to ignore. Mike Heller’s drumming is killer, Morean delivers a range of vocal styles, and Arran McSporran’s fretless bass cuts through beautifully. And of course, Fountainhead—Tom Geldschläger—ties it all together: guitars, oud, keyboards, production, mixing, mastering. It’s all him, and it’s outstanding.
Track 8: Cathexis Interlude
I didn’t even realize this was a separate track until I sat down to write this, it always felt like part of Abyss’s outro. But it works perfectly as a transition into the next chapter.
Track 9: Abdication
Starts slow, builds naturally, and then explodes into shredding. At times, it reminded me of Obscura, which made me think about what could’ve been if that lineup had stuck together. Still, I’m glad to see Fountainhead leading Changeling and doing something this focused and fresh.
Track 10: Anathema
The closer is a 16-minute epic that feels like a journey from nothingness to infinity. It’s the perfect summary to the album. A two-hit drum pattern recurs throughout, tying the song together in a really memorable way. A powerful, epic journey to end the album.
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Final Thoughts
The guitar work across this album is mind boggling, boundary pushing yet tasteful. The album has it all: sick riffs, fretless and fretted instruments, acoustic and electric textures, clean and brutal vocals. I felt like I could keep listening to this album over and over, trying to fully grasp it, or write the perfect review. This is an album that deserves way more attention than I’ve seen it receive since its release. Definitely a contender for album of the year.
On that note, I’m off to buy some merch.