Album Review: Funeral For A Friend - Conduit
So FFAF are back with a new album, and, is it as good as Welcome Home Armageddon? Well let's have a look.
Firstly, let me say I like this album, I really like it. It's heavy, melodic and has some killer riffage. This album is everything I like about FFAF and then some there a no depressing emo songs here like on “Tales Don’t Tell Themselves”, the band has returned to the hardcore punk roots, that with their more mature mindset it make for some great melodic hardcore. And “Welcome Home Armageddon” was the first step towards the band doing that.
Before I go any further let me address the lineup change in the band, the addition of Pat Lundy on drums. Now, I'm a fan of the guy I think he did a great job in Rise To Remain he is spectacular, but on "Welcome Home Armageddon, Ryan Richards provided some intense vocals, and that unfortunately leads to my first flaw with this record, Matt's screamed vocals range from decent to "my god he sounds like he's lost his voice and has a throat infection, this guy should not be shouting". I appreciate Matt as a vocalist but he is much better suited to clean vocals.
With that out the way, this album is strong it has a rough tone and has good fast beat on most song. The hooks are catchy and rhythm to most of the songs is decent, and it has that real punk feeling. You can definitely tell a lot of work went into these songs, even if some of them are a bit short. I'm not kidding either songs like "Spine", "The Distance" and "Nails" barely hit the 3 minute mark, it’s like just as you’re getting into them they finish but they’re still awesome.This album is a good one it’s not as good as “Welcome Home...” but it definitely hold up against their old stuff and I imagine these songs will sound natural against the live.
OK I'm rambling now, it's good and I can't wait to see them live. That is all