Much can be said about Funeral for a Friend‘s influence on the music scene in the UK – but it’s also well covered ground. Most can think of a band or two surging skywards at the moment that nods their hat to the band in some way or other, and remember having enjoyed seing Funeral live multiple times as a teenager.
That said, Funeral set the bar very, very high early on, and have struggled in recent years to match up to the expectations they themselves set. So, with a personal reshuffle and the new ‘pledge’ outreach – they do have a thing or two to prove.
Thankfully, ‘the Young and the Defenceless’ is beyond excellent and contains four of the best songs Funeral have put out for ages. Open ‘Serpents In Solitude’ is brutal, and the EP really doesn’t relent at any point from then onwards.
The instrumentation is fantastic throughout, and displays without mistake that they’re still the masters of British ‘post-hardcore’ – and it’s also a sign that the last thing on earth people should be doing is writing them off.
The EP sounds fantastic thanks to Romesh Dodangoda‘s magic, and it’s a great set up for the forthcoming album – not to mention a brutal wake up call to anyone who thinks the band have run out of ideas. Much recommended for anyone who’s ever liked Funeral ever, and even in the unlikely event you’ve never really had time for the band, you’ll find plenty to get you waiting for more with baited breath.