There are many bands that employ female operatic vocals or combine them with male growling. It should be noted that in recent years this trend has taken on alarming proportions. Bands that never used this technique are resorting to it more and more often... globalization and commercialization...
In this context, TRAIL OF TEARS' decision to drop female vocals can be called a fairly risky move, yet a justified one.
The vocalist who took on the duty of performing clean male vocal parts on this album is by no means a dark horse. You can hear him on GREEN CARNATION releases, and he appeared as a guest vocalist on at least two previous TRAIL OF TEARS albums.
Defining exactly what the Norwegians are playing now is quite difficult. And we won't bother trying. Suffice it to say that the death metal component has increased significantly, but the gothic symphonic black element hasn't gone anywhere either.
Overall, the album is fairly consistent, but in my view it lacks a certain cohesion and monolithic quality that characterized earlier works.
In the end, Free Fall Into Fear is the same TRAIL OF TEARS, but with a heavier, modernized sound.