Album Review: Funeral For A Friend - Welcome Home Armageddon

Back with their fifth album and after a slight line-up change; in the form of new bassist Richard Boucher came in after Gavin Burrough moved to guitar responsibilities after Darren Smith departed, Funeral For A Friend sound as strong and as consistent as ever.

Whereas previous more recent releases have wained between good and great, 'Welcome Home Armageddon' is brilliant, as it delivers the ideal balance between heavy and melodic. 'Old Hymns' is a bold, pleasing opener with Matthew Davies-Kreye's vocals being as distinctive and as perfect as possible. Whilst 'Front Row Seats To The End Of The World' is "classic" Funeral, with Ryan Richards' heavy vocals dominating in the verse creating an ideal bridge into Davies's approachable and melodic chorus. All the while the bands thrash and storm their way through with driving guitars and pounding drums.

'Sixteen' keeps up the momentum, with its tight sound that dosen't dwell on technicalness but more on grabbing the listeners attention. Its a quick blast of rock that FFAF certainly know how to deliver. Moments like this continue to appear throughout, 'Man Alive' and 'Spinning Over The Island' may sound like something we've heard before but they sound great and you can't help enjoy them. The latter especially has a captivating structure and is musically solid.

'Owls (Are Watching)' is one of the many stand out moments, with its brash chorus and foolproof guitar tone. It answers to any doubts you had about the band and like this album as a whole, exceeds expectations.

'Damned If You Do, Dead If You Don't' and 'Broken Foundation' are fast and furious, with the latter being FFAF at their most heaviest but still keep in melodic parts, to give the track a sense of acceptance and variation, something which is expanded by the superb guitar solo that purely dominates.

'Welcome Home Armageddon' is certainly a record that delivers in terms of great songwriting, passionate musicianship and superb structures that do not falter from start to finish.

4.5/5

'Welcome Home Armageddon' by Funeral For A Friend is released in the UK on March 14th through Distiller Records and in the US on March 15th via Good Fight Music.

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Words by Sean Reid