ITP V.021 REVIEW: FUNERAL: "PRAESENTIALIS IN AETERNUM"

  BAND: :FUNERAL (NORWAY)

GENRE:FUNERAL DOOM, DEATH, DOOM

LABEL: SEASON OF MIST

RELEASE DATE: 12/10/2021

TITLE: "PRAESENTIALIS IN AETERNUM"

 

 

PREVIOUS RELEASES (CATALOG) :

"ORATORIUM", 11/23/2012 via GRAU RECORDS.

"AS THE LIGHT DOES THE SHADOW", 9/22/2008 via INDIE RECORDINGS. 

"FROM THESE WOUNDS", 12/4/2006 via TABU RECORDINGS. 

"IN FIELDS OF PESTILENT GRIEF", 2001 NOCTURNAL MUSIC. 

"TRAGEDIES", 1995 ARCTIC SERENADES. 

 

BEST RELEASE (S):"FROM THESE WOUNDS" (2006),  "IN FIELDS OF PESTILENT GRIEF" (2001),  "ORATORIUM" (2012), "AS THE LIGHT DOES THE SHADOW" (2008)

 

 

 

 FUNERAL: "PRAESENTIALIS IN AETERNUM" TRACK-LISTING: 

1. "AND"

2. "MATERIA"

3. "ERINDRING I-HOVMOD"

4.  "ERINDRING II-FALL"

5. "OPPVAKNING"  

6. "DVELEN"

7. "HER TIL EVIG TID (AND EPILOG)"

8. "VKST (ERINDING PROLOG)"

9. "SHADES FROM THESE WOUNDS" 

10. "SAMARITHAN"

 

 

 

 

 

ITP RATING: **** (4 out of 5 stars)
PRODUCTION: ****
SONGWRITING:****
PERFORMANCE:****1/2

 

 

 

Since the early 90's  FUNERAL have pioneered the funeral doom and now death doom metal sub genres. 

Releases from  FUNERAL have been few and far between. However, after a hiatus, FUNERAL are back with a ground breaking new release "PRAESENTIALIS IN AETERNUM". 

 

FUNERAL'S  "PRAESENTIALIS IN AETERNUM" kicks off with "AND", an orchestral death, doom track with mournful melodies featuring beautifully sung clean vocals complimented by death metal vocals. 

FUNERAL'S  "MATERIA" features sludgy, doom riffs complimented by SINDRE NODLANDS awesome vocals. At 2:57,  "MATERIA" segues into mournful melodic guitars, light piano for a soft and heavy interlude marking beauty in darkness. 

 FUNERAL'S  "ERINDRING I-HOVMOD" features syncopated riffing, and an awesome booming chorus set to melodic guitar heaven.FUNERAL'S  "ERINDRING I-HOVMOD" also features light orchestral passages in the back round complimented by an awesome clean vocal performance to rival OPETH. 

 FUNERAL'S  "ERINDRING II-FALL" features awesome vocal harmonies set to a dismal funeral dirge. At 4:20, FUNERAL'S  "ERINDRING II-FALL" switches up the riffs and vocal patterns with a soft, heavy dynamic as the death metal vocals creep in. Orchestral passages drift in and out of  FUNERAL'S  "ERINDRING II-FALL" as melodic guitars adorn the segue via a powerful  clean and death vocal performance. 

 FUNERAL'S  "OPPVAKNING" features orchestral interludes, heavy riffing, death and clean vocals for a majestic, heavy, slow and mournful experience.. Orchestral arrangements and melodic guitars adorn  FUNERAL'S  "OPPVAKNING" setting an ominous  haunting atmosphere at a snails pace.

Tracking in at over 11 minutes, .FUNERAL'S "DVELEN" invokes a heavy, foreboding, majestic atmosphere with again, beautifully sung clean vocals via  SINDRE NODLANDS. At 4:00, FUNERAL'S "DVELEN" features some intense death metal vocals as the track segues into raw heavy riffs and back to clean vocals. Classical orchestrations mark the break in riff changes as the clean to death metal vocal transitions are powerful. 

 FUNERAL'S "HER TIL EVIG TID (AND EPILOG)" enters as pure melodic funeral doom with various riff changes and an awesome clean and death metal vocal attack.FUNERAL'S "HER TIL EVIG TID (AND EPILOG)" emotes at the slowest pace, coupled with mournful melodies with beautiful orchestral interludes and haunting vocal harmonizing. It doesn't get any better than this. At 7:27, .FUNERAL'S "HER TIL EVIG TID (AND EPILOG)" segues into a heavy and dramatic passage with death metal vocals complimented by classical orchestration. . 

FUNERAL'S "VKST (ERINDING PROLOG)" features a raw and heavy riffs segueing into beautiful melodic guitars and exquisite clean and death vocals. Beautiful melodic guitar passages segues into post rock adorn the slower passages of "VKST (ERINDING PROLOG)" 

 FUNERAL'S "SHADES FROM THESE WOUNDS" is a beautiful, ambient, instrumental piano piece.

 FUNERAL'S  "PRAESENTIALIS IN AETERNUM" closes with "SAMARITHAN" is a slow, doom track with excellent drumming, great melodic guitar riffs for a great song of Gothic appeal. 

 During the last few releases FUNERAL have transitioned from Funeral doom to death doom. That's not a bad thing as there is still evidence of funeral doom influences on  "PRAESENTIALIS IN AETERNUM". 

FUNERAL'S  "PRAESENTIALIS IN AETERNUM" features long and complex song structures that take patience decrypting.  

 However, FUNERAL'S long and winding tracks melt souls with haunting and melancholy atmospheres well worth delving into, a beauty in darkness indeed.

 

Coming back from hiatus, FUNERAL reformed with lineup changes with new keyboardist ANDRE AASLIE, guitarist MAGNUS TVEITEN and violinist "SAREETA". 

FUNERAL'S new lineup is a breath of fresh air, invigorating the band with a new spirit. Drummer and co founder ANDERS EEK and vocalist SINDRE NODLANDS brought their "A GAME" with thier stand out performances on FUNERAL'S  "PRAESENTIALIS IN AETERNUM". 

FUNERAL'S  "PRAESENTIALIS IN AETERNUM" melds funeral doom song structures with Gothic metal riffing and a wondrous clean and death metal vocal performance. 

FUNERAL'S majestic and elegant.songs and symphonic arrangements are groundbreaking and breath taking. 

Overall, I'm glad to have FUNERAL back and cheers to more releases from this talented band...   

 

ITP RATING: **** (4 out of 5 stars)
PRODUCTION: ****
SONGWRITING:****
PERFORMANCE:****1/2.

 FUNERAL: "PRAESENTIALIS IN AETERNUM":    

.https://spak-individualthoughtpatterns.blogspot.com/2021/12/funeral-post-new-release-praesentialis.html 

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