My Funeral – Funeral Manifesto
My Funeral – Funeral Manifesto
Inverse Records
Release Date: 07/10/22
Running Time: 39:27
Review by Laura Barnes
7/10
Seven years have passed since Finnish Thrash Metal band My Funeral released their last full-length album, “Violence Academy”, but it appears that Thrash Metal is a force unburdened by the passage of time. My Funeral have come out swinging with this latest offering, “Funeral Manifesto”. From the title alone, it is clear that this album aims to be the definitive My Funeral album. Unrelenting in its heaviness and stubborn in its rage, this is just under 40 minutes of pure, no-frills Thrash Metal. If this sounds like your cup of metal tea, then keep reading.
To say that “Funeral Manifesto” is an angry album would be an understatement. It is fucking furious. It is so pissed off that it wants to eat your soul just for the satisfaction of spitting it back out. Frontman Ilkka Sepponen’s vocals sound like a dog’s growl and lion’s roar rolled into one and is a huge improvement from his performance on “Violence Academy”. Although the vocals on “Violence Academy” were far from bad, “Funeral Manifesto” boasts a newly established confidence that convinces and compels. There is a complexity to the anger within “Funeral Manifesto” that separates it from My Funeral’s previous work – there is a sadness to it, and a greater sense of depth.
There are a few standout tracks on this album. ‘Primitive Evil’ provides an ice-cold opener to the album, with an almost melodic chorus reminiscent of Locus-Era Machine Head. After this, the focus shifts from melody to hard-hitting riffs and snaking guitar solos. ‘Darkness Walks Beside Me’ chugs its way towards a venomous earworm of a chorus. The album reaches its emotional climax during ‘Confessions’, an absolutely devastating song that sums up the ethos of “Funeral Manifesto”. It is an anthem of shame and torment that really showcases My Funeral’s song-writing growth. A special shout out also goes to the guitar solo on this track – the combination of style and production produces a delightfully retro result. These songs are demonstrative of a My Funeral that are passionate about what they are doing and are confident in their passion.
I will say, however, that the only trouble with the no-frills approach is that sometimes, frills can help make things a little more digestible. “Funeral Manifesto” is an intense album, and for the large part, that’s a good thing, Sometimes, though, that intensity blurs songs together, especially in the latter half of the album. Each song on this album is a good listen, but some tracks – such as “The Night Will Come” – warrant an individual listen in order to be appreciated fully. That said, My Funeral do end the album on a strong note, with ‘The Uprising’. The clean vocals used during the verses on this track are fantastic at adding tension and structure to the song. When Sepponen bellows out the concluding, ‘YOU CAN’T BRING ME/DOOOOWWWWN’ it feels cathartic and earned. A sanguine ending for a grisly album.
All in all, this is a top-notch Thrash Metal album, perfect for hyping yourself up before beating the shit out of your enemies. It would be a great addition to any Thrash Metal collection.
TRACKLISTING
01. Primitive Evil
02. Suicidal Thrash
03. Darkness Walks Beside Me
04. When Darkness Falls
05. Nirvana of Negative
06. Confession
07. The Night Will Come
08. Twice Fallen Angel
09. No Regrets
10. The Uprise
LINE-UP:
Ilkka Sepponen – Vocals, Bass
Joonas Kivineimi – Guitars
Carlos Correa – Guitars
Tomi Louhesto – Drums
LINKS:
Disclaimer: This review is solely the property of Laura Barnes and Ever Metal. It is strictly forbidden to copy any part of this review, unless you have the strict permission of both parties. Failure to adhere to this will be treated as plagiarism and will be reported to the relevant authorities.
