Funeral Age has greatly improved their skills as musicians in the 6 year gap between albums. The guitarist (who is also the vocalist) has really improved in both aspects. His vocals are crisp and clear this time, which I am sure is somewhat due to the better production quality. He has also added in some clean, choir like vocals that sound very Nevermore-esque, something that I applaud. It gives songs like 'Lives For An Eye' an epic feel during the chorus, where these clean vocals shine through. The guitar playing is quite amazing because it sounds massive! Obviously, more than one guitar track was laid down in the studio but the sound is so big and in your face, it still is quite impressive it was only done by one guy. The tones between the two main guitar lines that are constantly present are quite different, leaving anyone to believe that two different guitar players are behind them because playing style does play a huge role in the tone of the players guitar. The bass is present in the music where the guitars are shredding a solo or running a quick, tremolo picked riff but it doesn't really get much of a chance to stand out on its own and shine for a while like it did in the previous album. When I break the music down and look at it as different sections of the band, the drumming has to be my favorite part. It is perfectly in time and sounds very cleaned up compared to Fistful of Christ. The technical ability of the drummer is stunning, as well. His speed and stamina is quite impressive, even for a death metal drummer. The actual sound of the kit is massive and booming. Every piece of the kit was carefully mic'd and shines through clearly in the mix.
Between the blasting intensity of the drums, the screaming cry of the vocals or the shredding sound of the guitar, Funeral Age does not disappoint. Energy is at the forefront of their music and while their musicianship is excellent, the brutality is something that really sticks out to me. While it isn't gore-filled, smashing-faces brutal, it still has that kick to it that really hits you hard. Honestly, death metal has never sounded so good!
9.5/10
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