24th September 2021

Review: “II” by Funeral For Two

In August 2020, Seinäjoki-based Finnish Doom infused Stoner Metal trio Funeral For Two unveiled their debut, self titled EP, have been hard at work recording their debut EP, created with the assistance of producer Jiri Mustajärvi, who not only handled mixing and mastering during the years of The Great Plague but also played the drums as a session musician for the release. Fourteen months later and the band have completed a sophomore EP, once again using the skills of Mustajärvi as they found themselves in the same position with drummer Pete Rukkila unable to join guitarist and vocalist Mikke Sillanpää and bassist Jetro Santaharju in the studio…

They say never judge a book by its cover and with this second burnt offering from Funeral For Two, they’d be right. Their debut EP cut 17 minutes over two tracks and impressed as an almost ritualistic funeral procession of monolithic Doom riffs and this sophomore effort picks up where that left off, cutting 21 minutes of downtuned, slow, heavy fuzz riff filled melodies in two gargantuanly monolithic tracks. Opening cut “The Curse Of Lord” sounds like a Monster Magnet demo from the stone age with a huge slow crushing bass line and main riff before an epic drawn out slow solo that is simply jaw dropping. Playing at this tempo takes serious skill an patience in timing and they carry it of in sublime fashion with clean and almost ghostly vocals from Sillanpää throughout. The second cut “La Muerte” is Spanish for “Death” and offers a churning bass line that continues the bands tendency to produce songs with a melodic hypnotic trance like quality that is reminiscent of shoegaze while being soaked in Stoner Doom Metal splendor. Mid-way through this one however the trio break with tradition and increase their heavier edge with a bigger riff and a fleeting unclean vocal moment before bottoming out into an acoustic Western movie soundscape that sounds like it belongs to Clint Eastwood. If that wasn’t left field enough for you, that then steps back up in the opposite direction with a faster riff and some huge thunderous drum sounds as if to complete a tune with three distinctive movements in a bold and adventurous fashion. It sounds like Funeral For Two are trying to prise open Pandora’s box with “II” and while they might not have quite got what they’re looking for, it’s clear that something wicked this way comes [7/10]

Track listing