Originally published by L.S. Media. March 20th 2011.

Funeral for a Friend’s music may be more in common with West Coast and Mid American acts than with some of their compatriots from Wales, I.E The Stereophonics and The Automatic, but their music still has the ring of Welsh confidence that has seen a resurgence in their country’s output of superb music over the last few years.

The new album has the title to die for in Welcome Home Armageddon! And whilst it may open with a self styled instrumental track in This Side of Brightness, it hides the fact that the album is full of mind crunching riffs that that will satisfy the cravings of those that may have felt a little left out in the home grown hardcore stakes recently.

From the moment the instrumental finishes the listener will be immersed into the music that Funeral for a Friend do best, nowhere does this happen more than on such tracks as Front Row to the End of the World, Owls (Are Watching) and Damned If You Do, Dead if You Don’t. The four musicians combining well to give vocalist Matthew Davies extreme style of performance the best possible edge.

Unlike some bands that espouse from the other side of the Atlantic and plough the same furrow as the lads from Wales, they seem to have lost something along the way which the Bridgend boys have retained, whether it’s an honesty for the love of this more melodic hardcore scene or just that they are better musicians when it comes down to it is up for debate. However, the fact they continually strive to impress shows something of the men they have become since the days of Casually Dressed & Deep in Conversation.

Welcome Home Armageddon! is immense as it sounds, it beats the door down of your preconceptions, kicks the furniture aside and gently introduces itself to you with a gratifying smile whilst continually shouting down your eardrums.

Ian D. Hall