Finally, the weekend is upon us. What better way to kick it off than with the latest installment of "Funeral Doom Friday". For those who are new to this column; each week features a new or classic album from the realm of extreme doom. Much of funeral/death doom's might comes from an oppressive emotional weight and the use of death or black metal motifs (played at a trudging pace, of course.) Pioneers like Mournful Congregation, Evoken, and Esoteric have mastered this blend of dirge and destruction. For 25 years, they have methodically built compositions that stretch for dozens of minutes all while keeping fans enthralled. Time has elapsed since the days of Thergothon and much like the world around us, the genre has evolved. Today's modern bands contort the very construct of the genre, breeding darkly refreshing new work. Their work thankfully gives this column plenty of material to share.
Enjoy this week's post and check out prior features here. Feel free to also share thoughts or suggestions for future installments in the comments section below
If you remember back in January, Funeral Doom Friday covered the Belgian solo project Until Death Overtakes Me. Antemortem was the first album since the band's reformation in 2016. The newly one-man effort puts a unique spin on the genre by incorporating darkwave and ambient music. While the use of electronic elements is not entirely new, the way that Stijn Van Cauter uses synths and digital sound are refreshing. This was incredibly notable on Antemortem and it is just as striking in this new release, Hell & Rain.
Hell & Rain is a collection of singles that Until Death Overtakes Me created during the end of 2016 and early 2017. As one might expect, these newly released songs follow a similar suit as the full-length album from earlier this year. Each of the seven tracks could have fluidly fit on Antemortem. This compilation is, however, riveting in its own regard. Moments such as "Old Hell" and "Watching Endtimes Unfold" are personal favorites from this record. If Van Cauter's work from earlier this year piqued your interest, this new material will do a similar favor. Check out the album below and make sure to snag a copy. This is a digital-only release and is available for any price one deems fit.
