Funeral

Plateau Sigma – Rituals [Things You Might Have Missed 2016]

By El Cuervo on December 17, 2016 in 2016, Avantgarde Music, Doom Metal, Italian Metal, Reviews, Things You Might Have Missed 2016, Doom Metal, 11 comments

“Italy’s Plateau Sigma have been on my radar for a couple of years: they always edged something quite interesting with their emotive doom metal but they lacked consistency and the song-writing was choppy at best. Yet it was with eagerness that I encountered their second full length, given the chinks of excellence evident previously. Rather than continuing the trend of slow but steady improvement, Rituals enveloped me entirely in its sheets of atmospheric doom and calming beauty, upheld by a strong, mid-paced core.” Doom in your stocking.

Novembre – URSA Review

By Grymm on April 3, 2016 in 2016, Doom Metal, Italian Metal, Peaceville, Progressive Metal, Reviews, Doom Metal, Progressive Metal, 47 comments

“I have an admission to make, and it’s not an easy one. Until the past few weeks, I had never heard of Italy’s Novembre. Yes, as Angry Metal Guy’s resident doom meister who worships at the altar of the Peaceville Three, considers Funeral’s From These Wounds a desert-island album, and champions any band that possesses The Riff of Sorrow, I had neglected to check out one of Italy’s heralded progressive exports.” Please publicly shame this man.

Skepticism – Ordeal Review

By Grymm on September 9, 2015 in 2015, Doom Metal, Finnish Metal, Reviews, Svart Records, Doom Metal, 59 comments

“Live albums are a dicey bag. Not every band has the capabilities to produce something classic along the lines of Live After Death or Alive in Athens, and most certainly not from the funeral doom genre. On top of that, to make your first album after a seven-year absence a live album that’s three-quarters new material? That’s some rather gutsy planning right there….” Play live or die.

Mike Tramp – Nomad Review

By Grymm on August 20, 2015 in 2015, Danish Metal, Folk Metal, Not Metal, Reviews, Target Group, Hard Rock, 123 comments

“Not that the plethora of throwback retro-thrash bands wasn’t evidence enough, but the 80’s happened. Fashion was horrendous and hairstyles were worse. Nintendo had kids blowing into their cartridges the world over. And on MTV, for every Iron Maiden and Metallica video that was played, there was a gaggle of hair bands saturating the airwaves to the point of ozone layer depletion from all that Aqua Net used. White Lion was one of those bands, enjoying success after success until Kurt Cobain came along and ruined everything for them.” Let’s see hands from all the little fighters in the hall!

Tomb of Finland – Below the Green Review

By Grymm on August 19, 2015 in 2015, Death Metal, Doom Metal, Finnish Metal, Mighty Music, Reviews, Death Metal, Doom Metal, 27 comments

“Okay, admission time: as you can probably guess, I don’t always rely on the Grymm Grab Bag™ to decide who or what I get to review. If it’s a band I love or have a history with, I’ll give a fair looksee and go from there. In some cases, the name alone will grab me and say, “dude, review this, please.” Hence, Finland’s Tomb of Finland. That’s a pretty benign name to most people, right?” Wait for it….

Bell Witch – Four Phantoms Review

By El Cuervo on April 25, 2015 in 2015, American Metal, Death Metal, Doom Metal, Profound Lore Records, Reviews, Death Metal, Doom Metal, 33 comments

“I have to be honest. Aside from my love for doom metal, the main reason I picked up this promo was that it is released by Profound Lore Records, which has become a by-word for quality in recent times. The list goes on and on. The prospect of a new funeral death doom release on this label had me all kinds of excited….” Great expectations are a dangerous thing.

Retro-spective Review: Funeral – From These Wounds

By Grymm on October 1, 2014 in 2006, Candlelight Records, Doom Metal, Norwegian Metal, Retro Reviews, Doom Metal, 12 comments

“Classic doom metal is wrought with tragedy. Whether it’s the loss of a loved one, the pain of watching one’s dreams turn to dust, or just lamenting something that was never there to begin with, great doom metal can be both depressingly cathartic and strangely uplifting in its dirges and sadness. In fact, a series of tragedies would befall a very young doom band from Norway rightfully named Funeral.” This is a sad tale, my friends.

Pallbearer – Foundations of Burden Review

By Grymm on August 16, 2014 in 2014, American Metal, Doom Metal, Profound Lore Records, Reviews, 18 comments

“Ah, the dreaded Second Album. It’s the infamous make-or-break moment that either legitimizes a young act as The Real Deal, or the one record that calls a band on its bullshit. Case in point: 2012’s Sorrow and Extinction put Little Rock, Arkansas’s Pallbearer into the ears and hearts of many doom aficionados, rightfully earning its place on many end-of-year playlists. A minor line-up shuffle and a few high-profile tours later, they’ve returned with the much-anticipated Foundations of Burden.” With several AMG staff members anxiously hoping for a big win from these doomsters, can they deliver?