Funeral
Tristesse (CD) 1994 Wild rags
A pretty bad sound quality, an almost unexistent distribution from an obscure label, extremely long, monotonous tracks (three tracks with a total duration of 39 minutes) and completely inaccesible vocals: those are probably the reasons why this work never became influential in the doom-metal genre, although it should have been. 'Tristesse' is one of the heaviest, most depressive and extreme doom-metal albums ever recorded. This Norwegian band made no efforts to facilitate the listening experience: this album bathes in misery, depression and desperation. The three songs clock at +10 minutes featuring monolithic, extreme doom-metal, with only some serene acoustic parts and some occasional guitar solo's that help a bit to endure the almost unbearable pain. The band didn't use on this album the monotonous, cheerless female vocals they used in their second album 'Tragedies', but the low, depressive male vocals won't make you feel better neither. In short: if you like extreme, monolithic funeral doom or if you are addicted to heaviness in genenal and you are one of the happy few that came across this album: don't hesitate to get it!	1. Thoughts of Tranquillity 2. A Poem for the Dead 3. Yearning for Heaven Approx. 39 minutes
Reviewed by Kostas Panagiotou
Tragedies (CD) 1995 Arctic Serenades
You have depressive bands, and you have Funeral. If you manage to listen to a whole album from this band resisting the urge to switch over to something more cheerful or alive, then you must be a true doomfreak! This time, the band relies vocaly mostly on the monotonous, mourning voice from Toril Snyen, implemented by the deep grunts that were also featured in their extremely depressive debut album 'Tristesse'. The production is not so obscure this time and it fits better with the more melodic, symphonic approach that the band chose for this album. The tempo is exclusively slow, making Funeral together with Skepticism, Thergothon and Esoteric one of the slowest and most depressive bands around. The lyrics unveil a similar tendency to emphasize everything about this life that is negative, ugly and dissonant: "Enlight the reek in which you dwell/you're the weak, your soul has fell". The constantly mourning vocals from Toril remind of those from Veera Muhli in Unholy's masterpiece 'Gracefallen', but they are even more monotonous and have a definate love it or hate it aspect in them. Listening to this album is not easy, but it's definately an unique experience of purification for those lost in the realms of depressive music!	1. Taarene 2. Under Ebony Shades 3. Demise 4. When Nightfall Clasps 5. Moment in Black Approx. 59 minutes
Reviewed by Kostas Panagiotou
In Fields Of Pestilent Grief (CD) 2003 Nocturnal Music
I have to admit, that when I first heard this album, I hated it. There, I said it. It was a massive let down as the music made by Funeral in the past was crushing in all respects, emotionally and sonically. What happened between the release of `Tragedies` to the release of `In Fields Of Pestilent Grief`, I don't know. As such, I discarded the album and forgot about it for a long time. I had made the mistake of basing my opinion on what it isn't, rather than what it is. Big mistake. So what is it then? Well for a start, the funeral atmosphere has disappeared, the excruciatingly slow and depressing pace of the music has vanished, replaced instead by a more aggressive and angry atmosphere whilst still sounding truly doomed, and there is not a single growl in sight. Instead, the music is much more uptempo, and heavily dominated by a female vocalist, who is Funeral's strongest yet in my opinion. Yet, despite all this, the album is still uncompromisingly Funeral. This can be heard in the guitar riffs and solos in particular, which sound like a natural evolution from previous works. They still have that trademark Funeral tone and sound, yet this time with an added lashing of aggression and hatred, which suits the new style of Funeral very, very well, and compliments the soaring female vocals which alongside the guitars drive the music. All that said, there are moments where the music slows right the way down and we are treated to flashes of Funeral of old, without sounding forced at all. This is particularly noticeable in 'Truly A Suffering', which starts off in a manner that would not have sounded misplaced in previous albums. Again, as with all brilliant albums, I would have a very, very hard time trying to pick out favourites, or highlights of the album, as the songs work together very well as a whole and as individual tracks, with a very consistent quality of songwriting. I should point out however that the last track, 'Vile Are the Pains', loses the female vocals all together, replaced instead with some deep, clean singing, that sounds like it could and maybe should break out into a bout of growling of old. Also the title track, is a very short piano instrumental, that sounds very delicate and lonely, giving a very short break in the album that doesn't sound out of place in the slightest, or as if it was put there for the sake of being there. At the end of the day, I highly recommend this album for what it is, don't make the mistake of passing this album by because it doesn't sound like `Tristese` or `Tragedies`, as it is still an extremely good album.	1. Yield To Me 2. Truly A Suffering 3. The Repentant 4. The Stings I Carry 5. When Light Will Dawn 6. In Fields Of Pestilent Grief 7. Facing Failure 8. What Could Have Been 9. Vile Are The Pains Approx. 54 minutes
Reviewed by Scott Wickens
From These Wounds (CD) 2007 Tabu
Following a four-year hiatus and a personnel reshuffle caused by bassist Einar Frederiksen's untimely passing in 2002, Funeral continue their misty journey into the musical world of sorrow. This band has been characterised as the "most depressing band in the world" and both their music and the tragic facts around them could forgive this description. The band was recently hit by yet another tragedy when long-time guitarist, Christian Loos recently died. Still hot from signing a new record deal and vowing to carry on in Loos and Frederiksen's memory, the remaining founding member, Anders Eek, recruited guitarist Mats Lerberg and the misty journey continued... Seven songs are included in the latest Funeral release, seven songs of deep, mournful Doom Metal. Riffs and melodies painted in the colour of the dusk and the deep melodic vocals of the singer Frode Forsmo (Minas Truth) complete the puzzle. The opening song of the album entitled 'This Barren Skin' may not be the best song of the album, but it manages to help the listener to enter the world of this great album. The title track that follows is simply one of the band's best moments: A musical mourn characterised by deep dusky melodies and the vocals of Frode Forsmo. Pointing to the vocals, I would like to mention that here you should not expect to hear any male crawling voice lines or female vocals like in the past, Frode Forsmo has overtaken all the vocals based in melodic voice lines and he really has done an excellent job. This is something that you should realise once you hear the following song entitled 'The Architecture of Loss' in which the basic melodic vocal line carries all the beauty of the song. The next song is called 'Red Moon', and in here it is time for the beautiful keyboard melodies to fill the musical lament. 'Vagrant God' is the next song, and once again the main mournful melodies of the guitar are in total harmony with the beautiful voice. Two songs have been left until the end, and as the listener is driven into the end of this mournful trip, the melodies are becoming deeper and even more beautiful and all we can do is close our eyes, remain silent and get lost in the misty vortex of Funeral's beautiful art. Just listen to the two last songs entitled 'Pendulum' and 'Saturn', and I am sure that you would understand my point. For one more time the listener will meet the long compositions of the band (the shortest song lasts 6:15 minutes and the longest lasts 9:13 minutes). The album is recorded and produced by Kjetil Ottersen at Vektor Studio in Norway and I can assure that a perfect work has been done as far as the production. As far as the front cover, I can point out that it fits very well with the music of the album. Well I guess there is nothing more to write in here; this album is for sure the perfect companion during the forthcoming dark and grim months this year. For Funerals To Come...	1. This Barren Skin 2. From These Wounds 3. The Architecture of Loss 4. Red Moon 5. Vagrant God 6. Pendulum 7. Saturn Approx. 57 minutes
Reviewed by CountRaven