Funeral - To Mourn Is a Virtue
I went into this thinking it was a brand new studio album and was mightily confused by many things. Why are there three different vocalists? Why is the production value so drastically poorer than the last two records? Haven’t I heard some of these tunes before? Where do babies come from? Well, not really the last one, but I clearly began to discover that something was awry here. Sure enough, this is, in the band’s own words, “…based on unreleased demo recordings… recorded between 1996-2004 and remastered in 2010…” So that answers a few of my questions. I still have more but we’ll get to that later. As for the material, it’s best dissected into three parts. The first four cuts are the Funeral I know and love. Somber, solemn, despondent Doom with the graceful clean voice of Frode Forsmo guiding the misery. For those unaware, this is the band from which the term Funeral Doom was coined. Their early ’90s material fit the description perfectly, and although they don’t really play at that slow motion pace anymore, it still hurts plenty, probably even more so. If you don’t own 2006’s From These Wounds you really don’t deserve life. This was Forsmo’s debut with the group and it remains literally their finest hour. 2008’s As the Light Does the Shadow was also a suitable follow up. (“Hunger,” the first song on this comp is a demo version from that album.) Now I’ve been told that Frode is no longer in the band. That puzzles me. Unless Jonas Renkse is taking his place they won’t do any better. Perhaps he killed himself? This Norwegian band does have a long history with fatal tragedy. I suppose considering their music that makes them the ultimate non-poseurs? Anyway, the next four cuts are in the same musical vein but with a different singer that I don’t much care for. Oystein Rustad, session backing vocalist from 2002’s Fields of Pestilent Grief, can’t hold a candle to Forsmo, so these songs pale in comparison. The last song features vocals from Sara Eick, one of the band’s many different female singers from their early days, who first debuted on the band’s 1997 demo. Her voice is quite angelic, but even she can’t match Frode’s sorrowful tone. So, there you have it. A collection of remastered demos that is about 45% essential. Not entirely what I was hoping for, but a nice addition for the completist. I wonder who the new vocalist will be, and will he be able to fill Forsmo’s shoes? Why did Frode leave the band? Will he continue with his original band, Minas Tirith? His he even still alive? Will I ever meet a girl that isn’t a retarded whore? Stay tuned.
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