Blues Funeral - Awakening (Album Review)

Release date: August 25th 2017. Label: Self Released. Format: CD/DD

Awakening – Tracklisting

Shadow Of The Snake

Awakening

Illusions Of Reality

Firedrake

Casimir

The Gathering Dust

Band Members

Jan Kimmel (El Janni) - Guitar, Nord, Vocals;

Maurice Eggenschwiler - Guitar, Vocals;

Cory Cousins - Drums;

Gabriel Katz - Bass

Review

Blues Funeral new album - Awakening - is better structured and more focused than their debut album. Their debut album was all over the place but in a good way, as the band included as many different genres they could possibly lay their hands on. Awakening doesn't follow that approach as Blues Funeral opt for a more straight-forward seventies sounding Blues Rock/Psych/Heavy Metal sound.

There are still moments of stoner/doom metal riffs appearing throughout the album. Though this time Blues Funeral seemed to have settled on a more Deep Purple based sound. The lyrics are still way over the top but that's what you expect from an album such as this.

Opening track - Shadow Of The Snake - has a slight operatic and progressive rock feel with the band playing some cool heavy riffs from the start. The organs add a creepy and doom based psychedelic feel. The dual vocals Jan and Maurice add quite a classic heavy metal feel. Blues Funeral feel they grew up and influenced by a steady diet of classic seventies Hard Rock/Metal and the album is a testament to that love and knowledge of that era of classic music.

The rest of the album follows the same approach of Blues/Prog Rock driven melodic riffs being the centre stage of the whole album. You can expect epic guitar solos, OTT vocals and gloomy organs all combining for a brilliantly entertaining ride from start to finish. Songs such as Awakening, Illusions Of Reality, Casimir and The Gathering Dust all play to Blues Funeral strengths with prog rock solos that have passion, drive and determination not seen on their debut album.

The standout track has on the album has to be Firedrake as the superb vocals grab your attention from the start. The band slow the mood right down and that means you can immerse yourself with the doomy theatrical vibes being played around you.

I will admit I would like to hear more modern based sounds that their debut album included. Now, at least Blues Funeral know what kind of band they want to be and they excel in delivering good old fashioned Hard Rock/Metal with flourishes of classic Doom Metal holding everything together. The production is handled superbly well with the album striking the right balance between the quieter and louder parts of the album.

Awakening is a superb album and Blues Funeral should have no trouble in finding a dedicated audience within the Hard Rock/Classic Rock/Heavy Metal community.

Words by Steve Howe

Links:

Facebook | BandCamp

Blues Funeral - The Search (Album Review)

Release date: July 30th 2016. Label: Self Released. Format: CD/DD

The Search – Tracklisting

Autumn Dream

Harbinger

Planet Void

Paragon Of Virtue

The Search

Palmdale

Band Members:

Jan Kimmel (El Janni) - Guitar, Nord, Vocals

Maurice Eggenschwiler - Guitar, Vocals

Cory Cousins - Drums

Gabriel Katz - Bass

Review:

Blues Funeral debut album – The Search – is an album that doesn’t play by the rules as the band play as many different genres they can lay their hands on. Let’s make a list – Prog, Doom, Stoner, Psych, Blues, Hard Rock and Heavy Metal. It’s a very retro sounding album but made accessible for a more modern audience.

Opening track – Autumn Dream – is the first track to get you accustomed with Blues Funeral music. A progressive psychedelic odyssey that will have you thinking of bands such as Thin Lizzy, Deep Purple and Jethro Tull in some respects especially with the more folk based moments. It has a doom rock/metal vibe running throughout the song and most of the album. The vocals may feel out of place but give it time as Blues Funeral will soon win you over.

Second track – Harbinger – evokes the classic Thin Lizzy duelling signature guitars but on a more progressive scale. The vocals are handled superbly well with some interesting dual aspects starting to appear. The lyrics could have done with more work but it’s the riffs that hold your attention as the band effortlessly drifts from Psych, Classic Rock to old-school Heavy Metal.

Third track – Planet Void – is where you start to hear some crazy Psych/ Doom/Stoner based sounds buried under the classic style of Hard Rock/Heavy Metal. Some people may say the band play it too safe with their music. Maybe but you can’t deny how great it sounds. These guys are seasoned pros and they know how to get the job done. The progressive NWOBHM vibe is what keeps the momentum going but the vocals run a close second as this song could be classed as the best song on the album.

The other three songs (Paragon Of Virtue, The Search and Palmdale) follow the same path as the opening three tracks but the band becomes a little more inventive with their music. The organs are simply sublime on the later stages on the album especially of Paragon Of Virtue as the band tries their hand at almost Gothic/Occult style rock. Paragon Of Virtue is perhaps where Blues Funeral starts to feel more comfortable with their sound.

The album is by no means original but these guys make you forget all that and make you feel you’re listening to a good old fashioned classic Hard Rock/Heavy Metal album. There’s a wide range of superb riffs waiting to be discovered as the guys love playing their epic progressive riffs. Blues Funeral even try their hand at Mastodon (Leviathan era) proggy riffs on The Search but with a more jazz based feel.

The organs yet again steal the show on The Search but it’s still a group effort as Blues Funeral excels creating an album suffering from a major identity crisis. The Search doesn’t know what type of album it wants to be: Classic Rock, Hard Rock, Prog Metal, Doom Metal or Heavy Metal. That’s the beauty of this album. You’re treated to so many different sounds and moods it’s virtually impossible to be bored by this album. It’s one crazy wild ride if you’re fan of all things Hard Rock and Heavy Metal with a few hidden surprises along the way.

The Search is a wonderful debut album and it’s one that will soon have you under its weird magical spell.

Words by Steve Howe

Links:

Facebook | BandCamp