Funeral – Gospel Of Bones

Written by on 25-10-2024 at 11:05.

The funeral doom pioneers rise again, three years after Praesentialis In Aeternum was released. Band leader and drummer Anders Eek has once again opted for a new line-up to create the newborn Gospel Of Bones. And he has not been idle, because, with 67 minutes, it has once again become a long album, albeit slightly more modest than its predecessor. As is a tradition with Funeral, the course has been changed several times, making it quite difficult to compare the new colossus with the previous works.

We previously wrote reviews on  As the Light does the Shadow ,  To Mourn is a Virtue, Oratorium and the aforementioned  Praesentialis in Aeternum . Each of those records has its own character and matching approach. The common denominator in the band’s discography is of course the Funeral-content. In my review of that penultimate album I already wrote something about the history of one of the genre’s founders. Funeral is and remains an idiosyncratic band full of surprises. The band has now decided to play all the programmed orchestration on the record live. We hear the violin – including the traditional Norwegian string instrument the ‘harding fiddle’ – as one of the most important influences in the music. Another important change is the recruitment of vocalist E. Krokłord, a baritone opera singer with extensive experience from the Norwegian Opera Choir. Since 2022, he has taken the place of previous vocalist Sindre Nedland (In Vain). As a consequence there are no grunts on the latest album.

I could say: ‘don’t worry’, but that’s a bit strange when I’m going to discuss a funeral doom album. And the fact that Gospel Of Bones is a textual treatise on the tragedies in Anders Eek’s life doesn’t make things much better. Darkness, misery, pain and loss make this Gospel Of Bones. In addition to the current band line-up, we also hear the following guest musicians: Øyvind Rauset (violin), Espen Ingierd, Michael Gira (vocals) and Kjetil Selvik (violin, organ). And now, after this explanation, it is time to talk about the music itself!

I immediately believe that E. Krokłord specializes in the work of Richard Wagner after the first listen. What a warm, deep, but above all majestic voice this man has! Together with the previously mentioned influences, it gives the album a certain balance between (neo)classical, folk and funeral doom. As expected, it has become a completely different album with plenty of room for thick guitar riffs, solos and climactic violin. The first songs maintain that quiet, gloomy funeral cadence almost across the board, but from These Rusty Nails onwards the band takes off a lot more strongly.

The beautiful opening song Too Young To Die immediately sets the tone for this album. In addition to the aforementioned baritone, we also hear an appealing, not too high-pitched female vocal a little later. The whole thing emerges in several vocal lines and layers. The instruments here are more ornate than really coarse, so that the vocals take the lead. It’s the same with the second song Yestertear, although we hear the pounding bass and riffs knocking on the door more and more firmly. What is certain above all is the immense sense of tragedy, majesty and grace. All this presented in a more classical way. The guitar work also ensures that some metal seeps through. The band descends further into the abyss of its own creation with Procession Of Misery. A heavy booming and somewhat delayed beginning is the prelude to a subdued lead with the vocal lines placed before and behind it. In almost ten minutes the band sends you into the forest to showcase many old-fashioned and new-fashioned facets. The guitarists and the rhythm section use tasteful twists and tempo changes. That said, you won’t hear fast music on this album either. Acoustic guitar work and a lot of emotional states you will. And that is wonderful for fans of drawn-out music.

Well, as mentioned before, the Norwegians are really taking off with These Rusty Nails. After a short enchanted phase, a particularly catchy and hypnotic riff emerges that will haunt your head for days to come. The atmosphere is now not only beautiful, but also somewhat macabre, partly due to the lyrics that deal with death. There is a lot of detail and layering woven into the music, including heavy church bells (or is it a gong?), lush violin eruptions and continuously changing guitar sounds. The vocals finish it off, although I cannot help but mention the virtuoso guitar work during the last two minutes, including that fantastic ‘opening riff’. Very nicely done! Ailo’s Lullaby is an instrumental song written by Kjetil Selvik on Harding fiddle and organ. Feel free to listen to it without falling asleep, because it breaks this album in two nicely.

My Own Grave once again highlights the rougher side of these funeral musicians. The classical touch still comes to the fore, but we now hear more grit and metal. I would like to describe the song as a dynamic funeral mass, because I really have no other words for it. To Break All Hearts Of Men clearly features a guest contribution on vocals. It is also a moody, somewhat dissonant song, beautifully pumping and melancholic at the same time. Particularly macabre too, because of the violin sounds and the desperate atmosphere. The song is actually a little more up-tempo than usual. I also notice a special similarity with the work of My Dying Bride. What a desperate piece of misery emerges here. When E. Krokłord joins in with his baritone – in the Norwegian language – it is a matter of taking it or leaving. This is perhaps one of the strongest songs ever written by Funeral.

Når Kisten Senkes (When the Coffin is Lowered) is a lingering yet classic colossus with chants in the Norwegian language. Quite dynamic in approach with all kinds of dark strings and vocals. There is a crazy guitar solo and the layered harmonies ensure that you actually feel like you are in a great piece of opera. Connoisseurs of the genre – but more specifically this band – are catered for, especially by the enormous amount of slow, tragic phases that Funeral shows. As the closing song, Three Dead Men is most likely an ode to the musicians the band has lost in the past. A strong, but also vulnerable song, in which the sadness is clearly audible.

Funeral adepts with a preference for classical music can undoubtedly purchase this Gospel Of Bones, especially if you have been following Funeral for years. Are you more into funeral doom or death doom with deep grunts? Then it might be wise to listen first. I haven’t missed the grunts for a moment, but I also enjoy listening to a range of different vocals. I would also characterize this latest work as a real ‘grower’, it requires quite a few listens before everything falls into place. And even then it might not be ‘metal’ enough to appeal to everyone. After all, these are not heavy headbanging sessions, but beautiful listening music in a funeral style. Overall, I rate this work slightly higher than its predecessor, perhaps precisely because of those classical influences and special approach. It is also a standalone album, very difficult to compare with everything Funeral has released since 1993. In that respect, the Norwegians now once again do more than just meeting the high expectations.

 

Score:

89/100

Label:

Seasons Of Mist, 2024

Tracklisting:

  1.  Too Young To Die
  2.  Yestertear
  3.  Procession of Misery
  4. These Rusty Nails
  5. Ailo’s Lullaby
  6. My Own Grave
  7. To Break All Hearts Of Men
  8. Når Kisten Senkes
  9. Three Dead Men

Line-up:

  • Anders Eek – Drums
  • Eirik Krokłord – Vocals
  • Ingvild Johannesen – Violin
  • Rune Gandrud – Bass guitar
  • Stian Kråbøl – Guitar
  • Morten Søbyskogen – Guitar

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