ITP REVIEW: FUNEBRARUM: THE SLEEP OF MORBID DREAMS

BAND: FUNEBRARUM (CLIFTON, NEW JERSEY- USA) GENRE: DEATH METAL LABEL: CYCLONE EMPIRE RELEASE DATE: 4/28/09
PREVIOUS RELEASES (CATALOG): DOMINANT HALLUCINATION (2007-SINGLE-MIDNIGHT RECORDS),
CONJURATION OF THE SEPULCHRAL (2007-SPLIT-with-INTERMENT-CONQUEROR OF THORNS ) BENEATH THE COLUMNS OF ABANDONED GODS (COMPILATION-2001-NECROHARMONIC RECORDS), TOMBS OF SLEEPING DARKNESS (DEMO-2000), TRIUMPHANT ASCENT (DEMO-1999)


BEST RELEASE: THE SLEEP OF MORBID DREAMS (2009)
TRACKLISTING: FUNEBRARUM: THE SLEEP OF MORBID DREAMS:
01. Perish Beneath
02. Grave Reaper
03. Beyond Recognition
04. Cursed Eternity
05. Incineration Of Mortal Flesh
06. Nex Monumentum
07. Among The Exiled

ITP RATING: *** 1/2 PRODUCTION: *** 1/2 SONGWRITING: *** 1/2 PERFORMANCE: *** 1/2 FUNEBRARUM are a New Jersey (USA) based death metal band with a uncanny knack for that brutal, old school death metal sound. In fact, if FUNEBRARUM's "The Sleep Of Morbid Dreams" were released 10 or 15 years ago, the release would rival those of GRAVE, DISMEMBER, and other 90's death metal bands. I figure, that with all of the tech wankery, and scenester 'core shit being consumed and promoted as metal, it's important for death metal to understand it's roots. BLOODBATH understand that well, with it's ALL STAR lineup, and lurking somewhere beneath the boardwalk, this slab of brutality has washed up upon the Jersey Shore..... In all it's morbidity, it's name is FUNEBRARUM. FUNEBRARUM's "The Sleep Of Morbid Dreams" kicks of with the track entitled "Perish Beneath", with a morbid horror sample, a brutal mid paced intro, and some AWESOME guttural growls with good pace dynamics. Fuck, yeh, old school death metal.. "Grave Reaper, is sick, brutal, awesome mid paced death metal, benefited by Daryl Kahan's guttural death growls, reminiscent of early GRAVE and a low fi produced BLOODBATH. "Beyond Recognition" kicks in with some mid paced death/thrash, good stuff indeed with quality musicianship a good bass tone and again, crushing guttural vocals. "Cursed Entity", crawls in slowly, with down tuned, crushing chords, until 1:07 when the tune picks up a brutal pace, adding blastbeats, crushing riffs. At 4:27 "Cursed Entity" adds a cool riding, thrash riff, ala old CARCASS as ENTOMED too would be proud. "Incineration of Mortal Flesh" invokes a old MORBID ANGEL DOMINATION feel, so cool, as what FUNEBRARUM lack in hyper blast and speed, they make up in emotion, darkness and brutality. "Nex Monumentum", "The Sleep of Morbid Dreams" longest track at 8:26 crawls in with a slow heavy, stoner drawl until 1:13 when all hell breaks loose for some TIGHT, old school, moshable death metal. Good, melodic riffs and rhythm guitar playing splatter throughout "Nex Monumentum" consolidated with a tight, pounding rhythm section, enough to make yer innards burst. At 3:36 "Nex Monumentum" slows down the pace for a set of mesmerizing, almost doom like riffs and until this crushing tune picks up the tempo. Good. FUNERBRARUM's "The Sleep Of Morbid Dreams" closes with "Among The Exiled", with it's dark, ominous, ambient intro, twisted riffs, and blood drenched vocals, FUNERBRARUM play some vicious death metal, as you will get to know this tune in the pit. While FUNERBRARUM are not bringing anything original to the table, it sure is good to hear some old school death metal again, played well, over the stale and decomposing trends of heavy music today. If you were ever inspired by death metal pioneers GRAVE, ENTOMBED, MORBID ANGEL and CARCASS you will enjoy FUNEBRARUM if not for the nostalgia of death metal's glory days. ITP RATING: *** 1/2 PRODUCTION: *** 1/2 SONGWRITING: *** 1/2 PERFORMANCE: *** 1/2 Thanks-Stay Metal, Stay Brutal-\m/ -l-