[size=+1]Funeral - In Fields Of Pestilent Grief (2003)[/size]
Funeral is one of the most underrated acts in the music realm. In fact, the band's career seems to go hand in hand with the theme of its music. While sorrowheads like Paradise Lost of My Dyine Bride bloomed, Funeral was left in the shadows, even though it probably deserves the same recognition, if not more. So that, may have, given them the chance to see what sorrow really is.
Writing about albums like this is a frustrating process. Foremost, because words are often misleading, and definitions even more. That's why when you mention the fact that there's a female singer present which delievers an angelic-like singing, a mentally sweeping choir, low tuned guitars and a sorrowful deep atmosphere all over this piece, people will usually click away. They have a right, though. Female singers became a very repulsive trend, and descriptions as those that I wrote above have been used when describing thousands of worthless albums. This is not one of them, and I'll try to prove you why.
Atmosphere is one of the most important things in music, at least for me. Atmosphere is the extra value that you get from music, from the combinations of all the explicit components. They melt into an unexplicit form, which is given to self interpretation. All the used components are only tools to create this goal.
This is, at least, the concept of music Funeral go by, that's the concept in which I, myself, believe.
That's also why their music can be considered the anti-thesis for technical music. We're talking here about bare emotion which is brought to the front, not the tools, not the way they play their music. That sets Funeral apart from many bands. Sure, they use tools and styles which are commonly used, but the extra value, the atmosphere they create is pure, is not easy to capture, is what makes them unique. Any poetic description I'll put here, won't be as poetic and convincing as Funeral's own music.
In this album, compared to the previous, the songs seem to be more organized and professionally arranged. They learned not to spit it out all at once, but rather divide their own sorrow, which makes it even a heavier listening experience.
The singing, as mentioned, is absolutely fantastic. It seems like it captures the humanity we lost, the pureness that is gone. It shows the true emotion, which seems bizarre and unfitting, even naive in a world which has become so cold. Cliche or not, it rises many emotions hidden in you.
Sure, I can tell you that the guitar work is very present and quite original...but again, there's no point in cutting this masterpiece and explaining all its components, it only takes away from the final effect.
I complained that reviewing albums as such is a frustrating process, but it also gives the reviewer excuse for his ignorance. I, for one, don't know shit about production, so I don't feel qualified to judge it. But here I don't feel as I have to judge it at all, this piece is calling us to ignore all those components. This album will still be touching even if it was recorded in the lousiest production.
If you sink in, and you probably will, you'll feel the airy vibe, a flowing like atmosphere. I swear, sometimes I think my head is about to depart.
To all the grindcore big shots, THIS is as heavier as music gets.
]
Funeral is one of the most underrated acts in the music realm. In fact, the band's career seems to go hand in hand with the theme of its music. While sorrowheads like Paradise Lost of My Dyine Bride bloomed, Funeral was left in the shadows, even though it probably deserves the same recognition, if not more. So that, may have, given them the chance to see what sorrow really is.
Writing about albums like this is a frustrating process. Foremost, because words are often misleading, and definitions even more. That's why when you mention the fact that there's a female singer present which delievers an angelic-like singing, a mentally sweeping choir, low tuned guitars and a sorrowful deep atmosphere all over this piece, people will usually click away. They have a right, though. Female singers became a very repulsive trend, and descriptions as those that I wrote above have been used when describing thousands of worthless albums. This is not one of them, and I'll try to prove you why.
Atmosphere is one of the most important things in music, at least for me. Atmosphere is the extra value that you get from music, from the combinations of all the explicit components. They melt into an unexplicit form, which is given to self interpretation. All the used components are only tools to create this goal.
This is, at least, the concept of music Funeral go by, that's the concept in which I, myself, believe.
That's also why their music can be considered the anti-thesis for technical music. We're talking here about bare emotion which is brought to the front, not the tools, not the way they play their music. That sets Funeral apart from many bands. Sure, they use tools and styles which are commonly used, but the extra value, the atmosphere they create is pure, is not easy to capture, is what makes them unique. Any poetic description I'll put here, won't be as poetic and convincing as Funeral's own music.
In this album, compared to the previous, the songs seem to be more organized and professionally arranged. They learned not to spit it out all at once, but rather divide their own sorrow, which makes it even a heavier listening experience.
The singing, as mentioned, is absolutely fantastic. It seems like it captures the humanity we lost, the pureness that is gone. It shows the true emotion, which seems bizarre and unfitting, even naive in a world which has become so cold. Cliche or not, it rises many emotions hidden in you.
Sure, I can tell you that the guitar work is very present and quite original...but again, there's no point in cutting this masterpiece and explaining all its components, it only takes away from the final effect.
I complained that reviewing albums as such is a frustrating process, but it also gives the reviewer excuse for his ignorance. I, for one, don't know shit about production, so I don't feel qualified to judge it. But here I don't feel as I have to judge it at all, this piece is calling us to ignore all those components. This album will still be touching even if it was recorded in the lousiest production.
If you sink in, and you probably will, you'll feel the airy vibe, a flowing like atmosphere. I swear, sometimes I think my head is about to depart.
To all the grindcore big shots, THIS is as heavier as music gets.
