Funeral Rites must be only the third Japanese band to appear on Archaic Metallurgy. Sigh probably left me thinking that the most of Japanese metal bands are weird in a good way while Ritual Carnage know how to thrash like it was 1980s.

What came clear very fast when I started to listen to this Funeral Rites' (F.R. from now on) debut album was that they aren't weirder than us Europeans. I waited, and wanted, this to be more Oriental-sounding. The first song is doomy and dark instrumental (well, there's a few spoken lines). 'The Wintermoon' makes it partly clear: This sounds very much like half way of 1990s black metal. With that I mean simple compositions, trebly production, and sadly, one-finger synths. For example, Hecate Enthroned did this kind of stuff with their first albums... The band also adore old school thrash metal and its influence is heard every now and then. Then again, 'Disenchantment' sound beautiful synth song and feels kind of out of place on this album... The music is partly aggressive, partly it has this yearning feeling (eg. 'Lost Misery'), so this is maybe too varying affair.

Playing is a bit sloppy at times and the sound is quite weak: clear, but not very heavy or powerful at all and guitar sounds like it was not tuned right. Vocals are raspy, dry throat and lyrics are usual stuff. 'Lost Misery' still has some truth written on its lyrics: "We forget in ancient times, weakness of the human race. Progress arose us pride".

'Necroeater' does not really interest me because it doesn't offer anything new and the production is also lacking, quite badly actually. Black metallers adoring older stuff with the thrash metal influence should give this a try if well in the money.

Rating: 3 (out of 10) ratings explained

Reviewed by Lane
01/12/2003 23:08