Rough Edge: Funeral For a Friend CD Reviews

FUNERAL FOR A FRIEND

"Hours" (Atlantic; 2005)

Reviewed by Jeff Rogers

"Hours" is the second disc from Funeral For A Friend. These Welsh rockers have continued with their brand of break up songs by penning eleven tracks (plus bonus tracks on certain discs). Their music is considered post-hardcore and Emo; the Emo comes through in the vocals due to the subject matter and the post-hardcore sound can be heard from start to finish.

Plenty of buzzing guitars fill the songs, the bass and drums are tight and you get more of a machine gun sound when all three instruments are geared in the same direction. The vocals seem to take a back seat in the song. They aren't in your face at all; in fact, I can picture Matt Davies sitting down on a couch just singing without emotion. That could be the whole idea of the record, to make the music speak while the vocals silently confirm the message. The growling vocals come in later on in the disc so you get a clean and gritty message to decipher.

There are a few tracks that have a slower vibe: "History" is one example. It's got a good sound and it gives the disc a layered feel, meaning not just one type of music is forefront. It's in those songs that the vocals shine brighter. You can hear a punk vibe on a few of the tracks, they don't push it but it's in the background. When they start heading down that road they get really tight and the songs kick a lot harder.

Funeral For A Friend: Kris Coombs-Roberts – guitar, backing vocals; Gareth Davies – bass guitar, backing vocals; Matt Davies – vocals; Ryan Richards – drums, unclean vocals; Darran Smith – guitar.

For more information http://funeralforafriend.com.

"Seven Ways to Scream Your Name" (Ferret; 2003)

Reviewed by Mike SOS

Besides having one of the most engaging names for a band, the five blokes that comprise the latest English sensation, Funeral for a Friend, also provide some of the most electrifying music heard from the hardcore genre in a long time.

Blending metallic crunch with punk pretenses and memorable choruses, FOAF's seven-track release is as dynamic as anything heard this year and will move you in ways that bands like Snapcase, Lostprophets, and Thrice do.

For music that hits equally as hard in the head, the heart, and the gut, check out "Seven Ways to Scream Your Name" and get swept away by the juggernaut known as Funeral for a Friend.

For more information, check out http://www.funeralforafriend.com.

Rating Guide:

A classic. This record will kick your ass.

Killer. Not a classic but it will rock your world.

So-so. You've heard better.

Pretty bad. Might make a nice coaster.

Self explanatory. Just the sight of the cover makes you wanna hurl.

Back to CD Reviews Home

Back to RoughEdge.com Home