EP REVIEW Funeral For A Friend 1. THIS YEARS MOST OPEN HEART BREAK
www.funeralforafriend.com
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Well here it is, the eagerly awaited follow-up to last years quite outstanding EP 'Between Order And Model'. For those that might not be acquainted with this Welsh band, they expertly blend the contrasting flavours of aggression, melody, power and intensity with the coalescing ingredient of unsullied emotion. They show unbelievable maturity for a band so new and some may hear parallels with bands such as Boy Sets Fire, Haste, Hundred Reasons and Poison The Well. With 'Four Ways To Scream Your Name' they have further polished a fine act and refine their distinctive ability at producing music that at times has such pleasing beauty while reserving the right to run you through with the sharpest of riffs. The punching rhythms that interplay with both vocal and guitar harmonies simply cannot be experienced without causing your skin to prickle. Matt Davies has developed his already notable vocals, which battle between passionate harmony and angry remonstrance, handling the switch with the timing of a veteran while cleverly gauging the doses of each. For instance, 'This Years Most Open Heart Break' is a fine example of their style with invigorating drive and containing more grit than Pamela Anderson's G-string, and is only upstaged by the vivacious melody. And excellent dual lead guitars feature strongly in the mightily impressive 'Escape Artists Never Die' which also demonstrates the skilful mastery of power and melody and is just such a strong song. Once again, Funeral For A Friend have produced an EP that is packed with exceptional music of the highest calibre and highlights their impressive capacity to write songs with lucid and honest qualities. But above all they have such a magnificent command of passion and it's that which helps mark them clearly from the rest. Now, if the Welsh rugby team were able to muster just a fraction of this passion, then we might see them collecting something more than just a wooden spoon. Rigsby (7th March, 2003) |
