Funeral For A Friend - Welsh post-hardcore heavy weights have just released a new album.I've been a fan of Funeral For A Friend for a while and have bought each new release by them since 2003's "Casually Dressed & Deep In Conversation." Since Casually Dressed I was pretty much hooked on their brand of post-hardcore. They managed to be heavy and melodic and made catchy tracks like popular "Red is The New Black". After their killer debut they released, "Hours" (2005) a more melodic and at times slower tempo but all around good follow up record, bringing the heat with "All The Rage" and "Roses For The Dead." 2007's "Tales Don't Tell Themselves" saw a significant (and I mean SIGNIFICANT!) step away from their roots and though not a bad album, not what most fans would have expected from them. "Memory and Humanity' (2008) saw them once again move in towards a more post-hardcore sound with considerably less success. It wasn't that it was terrible but it lacked the catchy melodies of Casually Dressed and Hours. It wasn't until the guys from FFAF went through some changes in the line up and came back with the "Young And Defenceless EP" in 2010 that it seemed clear that the guys were back in full form ready to pick up where Hours left off.
Enter 2011 and the release of "Welcome Home Armageddon." I may be biased but I instantly loved this cd from the opening cut to the very last. It delivers in every aspect that a good FFAF album should. It has the heaviness of Casually Dressed and the concentrated cohesiveness of Hours in equal proportions to deliver what after several (never the same) listens of the album beginning to end can only be described as a monumental success. These guys are in top form and show off their riffy chops in first single, "Front Row Seats To The End Of The World." This track is in perfect measures heavy with Ryan Richards providing screams (as well as pristine drumming) and melody with Matt Davies filling in the chorus parts in his signature voice, which sounds the best it has since Hours.
A great track, "Owls (Are Watching)" starts out beautifully with Matt performing a great vocal piece before the guitars enter and smash you upside the head unexpectedly. "Damned If You Do, Dead If You Don't" -also features on the Young And The Defenceless EP- is another song that will have the audience shouting the chorus until their voices are gone. This is likely to become another live hit along with "Red Is The New Black".
For those who are waiting to hear something a little bit heavier than most of FFAF's songs then don't miss out on "Broken Foundation" if that opening verse doesn't leave you impressed, send me whatever you're listening to! But as far as what we've come to expect from FFAF this is heavy hitting and brings me back to tracks from their EP's before Casually Dressed. The titular track from this record is fantastic too and begins with great gusto from guitarists, Kris and Gavin.
Overall, Funeral For A Friend have released an album that seems to have very few flaws. They've picked up with full force and delivered an album that is sure to have serious replay value. There's very few negatives to be mentioned about this album. It proves without a doubt to those who may have thought that Funeral For A Friend was out that they could come back stronger and ready to kick some serious ass.
RATING: 9.5/10
FAVOURITE TRACKS:
Front Row Seats To The End of The World
Sixteen
Owls (Are Watching)
Damned If You Do, Dead If You Don't
Broken Foundation
Written By: robert william brown
Written By: robert william brown
