Funeral Release Surprise New EP

Fresh on the crushing heels of their ninth album Gospel of Bone, today, Funeral are returning with a new companion EP. The Funereal displays all the markings that made this band pioneers of funeral doom: glacial riffs, poisoned harmonies, slow-burning solos and deep, pained growls. At its cold heart lies “Gamalt ljós”, a towering 18-minute centerpiece that digs deep into the psychological toll of emotional entrapment.  

The Funereal EP comes out today and is available on all digital platforms.

Stream: https://funeral.fanlink.tv/TheFunerealEP

Listen to “Gamalt ljós” below:

“Gamalt ljós” is one of the most introspective and heavy songs in Funeral’s decades-long career. Sung entirely in Faroese, the song translates in English as “Old Light,” a poetic reference to the fading glow of past hopes and unreachable absolutes. As its triptych structure unfolds, the emotional intensity escalates, navigating Kantian philosophy, spiritual longing, violent imagery and personal grief. "Rópi á gamalt ljós" (“I cry for old light”) emerges as its aching refrain.

The Funereal EP also includes an acoustic reinterpretation of “Når Kisten Senkes,” a standout track from Gospel of Bones. Stripped of the original’s orchestral weight, this new version lays bare the song’s stark mourning and lyrical gravitas. The result is a subdued yet devastating lamentation—an intimate reflection on death, grief, and finality, rendered in delicate acoustics and hushed despair.

Since the album was completed, the now septet has welcomed for the first time ever a full-time violin player “to perform live most of the strings you can hear on our albums as soon as we’ll be able to go back on stage.” In the meantime, Anders confesses the next album is more or less “finished. ‘Praesentialis’ could have been released earlier if we hadn’t to face all those COVID-related problems. We couldn’t meet in person, let alone rehearse or even just take promo pictures… But now we have a new label, a new line-up and a totally renewed sense of energy so why stop there? FUNERAL started thirty years ago be truth be told, it’s never been stronger. So, doom on!”

Recording Lineup:
Jon Aldara
Anders Eek
Morten Søbyskogen
Ingvild Anett Strønen Johannessen / Sareeta
Anders Langberg

Production Credits:
Recorded at Strand Studio, Stabbek, Norway.
Produced, mixed & mastered by Marius Strand at Strand Studio.
 
Guest Musicians:
Jon Aldara – Vocals
Stian Kråbøl - Classical Guitars

Cover Art:
Tristan D.

Stream: https://funeral.fanlink.tv/TheFunerealEP
 

Follow Funeral:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/funeralnorway/
Instagram: https://instagram.com/funeralnorway
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@DirgeofMourning
Bandcamp: https://funeraldoom.bandcamp.com/
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/0q3guqlmd8oVaz5v2Fqy3q
Apple Music: https://music.apple.com/artist/funeral/208973684
Deezer: https://www.deezer.com/artist/194130
TIDAL: https://tidal.com/browse/artist/23777

Funeral Usher in Doom and Gloom on 'Gospel of Bones'

Once again, from the ashes,  Funeral  arise with another soul-crushing masterpiece. Gospel of Bones is an emotionally wrenching journey into the abyss of sorrow and the resilience of the human spirit from funeral doom's unwavering custodians.

Gospel of Bones comes out this Friday October 18th, but you can listen to all nine soul-crushing songs today on the Season of Mist YouTube channel. 

Listen Below

Pre-order & Pre-save

https://orcd.co/funeralgospelofbones

Funeral channel the haunting beauty of life's bleakest moments into an auditory requiem, echoing with the weight of existence and the fleeting nature of solace. Gospel of Bones is crafted with the fervor of those who have walked through the valley of shadows, embodying the mournful elegance that has defined the Norwegian band's legacy since their very first notes in the early '90s.

This somber procession is led by drummer Anders Eerk, Funeral's beating heart and soul. He's joined by the solemn baritone of Eirik Krokord, a profesionally trained opera singer. Ingvild Johannessen adds haunting depth with his mournful violin playing. Together, they bridge the chasm between doom metal and classic folk musician, a distinction that's highlighted by the new addition of traditional Norwegian Hardanger fiddle to the band's arsenal.   

Melancholy. Pain. Loss. Solitude. Those had been just some of doom metal main themes ever since bleak pouring rain and the sound of church bell in the distance gave birth to the genre on BLACK SABBATH self-eponymous debut over five decades ago. But how many musicians have actually been bearing in their very flesh those gut-wrenching feelings?

Anders Eek – FUNERAL’s founding member, drummer and indisputable leader since 1991 – doesn’t particularly see it as a badge of honour, but he’d be the first to admit that somehow, the “death and loss we had to go through over the years were extremely painful yet inspiring, as a musician and as a human being.” And indeed, ever since their very first rehearsal in a basement in their hometown of Drammen, just outside of Oslo, Funeral had been ridden with problems and tragedy. Originally inspired by CATHEDRAL, CANDLEMASS, BLACK SABBATH, TROUBLE etc, they very quickly set out to create the most depressing and slowest form of doom/death possible at a time when their home country was being hailed as the birthplace of black metal. They went through several labels over the years, only to see them bust soon afterwards. Plagued by recurrent line-up problems, they even lost two of their key members Einar André Fredriksen (bass) and Christian Loos (guitar) in 2003 and 2006, respectively, to suicide and overdose.

But somehow, Eek never surrendered, but instead overcame all those obstacles by releasing over the years a slab of classics, each with its own, distinct personality, from the utter misery of the delicate yet none-so-extreme 1995 debut album ‘Tragedies’ to the more melodic and accessible 2001 gothic/doom masterpiece ‘In Fields Of Pestilent Grief’ or 2012 symphonic masterpiece ‘Oratorium’. Still, after the 30th anniversary concert in Oslo, april 12th 2022, also featuring the original singer Toril Snyen on the track «taarene», “life got in the way” as Anders puts it. “Some of us had kids, others moved out. Even I had quite a lot of things going on in my personal life and, at least for a while, maybe less drive to keep on carrying on the weight of the band on my shoulders. I never stopped writing music though because it’s something I’ve always done anyway.

Roughly 20 tracks were composed throughout the Covid pandemic(9 of whom made it to the studio), and yet again recorded and mixed at Toproom Studio, by Børge Finstad.

Violinist Øyvind Rauset, from the cult Norwegian folk-rock band FOLQUE, is performing on 2 tracks as a guest musician, as well as Espen Ingierd, with his very distinct singing-style in the vein of John Lennon, Michael Gira (SWANS)etc from cult doom/death band BEYOND DAWN singing on 2 tracks.

The album also contains an instrumental cover song , written by Kjetil Selvik, and is a melancholic piece only consisting of harding fiddle and church organ.

The lyrical content of the album is an autobiography of life’s mishaps of drummer/composer  A. Eek, and deals with real darkness, misery, pain and loss.  A Gospel of Bones.

Line-up
Anders Eek - Drums
Eirik Krokfjord - Vocals
Ingvild Johannesen - Violin
Rune Gandrud - Bass
Stian Kråbøl - Guitars
Morten Søbyskogen - Guitars

Recording Studio
Toproom Studio & Studio 42

Production Credits
Produced by Børge Finstad
Sound Engineered by Anders Langberg
Mixed & Mastered at Toproom Studio by Børge Finstad

Guest Musicians
Øyvind Rauset
Espen Ingjerd
Vilde Kråbøl
Anders Langberg

Cover Art
Tristan Diaz Bastie

Photography
Guilherme Henriques


Pre-order & Pre-save:https://orcd.co/funeralgospelofbones

Follow Funeral:
Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/funeralnorway/
Instagram:https://instagram.com/funeralnorway
YouTube:https://www.youtube.com/@DirgeofMourning
Bandcamp:https://funeraldoom.bandcamp.com/
Spotify:https://open.spotify.com/artist/0q3guqlmd8oVaz5v2Fqy3q
Apple Music:https://music.apple.com/artist/funeral/208973684
Deezer:https://www.deezer.com/artist/194130
TIDAL:https://tidal.com/browse/artist/23777

Available Formats:
Digital Download
CD Digipak
2x12" Vinyl Gatefold - Black
2x12" Coloured Vinyl Gatefold - Natural Transparent
2x12" Coloured Vinyl Gatefold - Gold
2x12" Coloured Vinyl Gatefold - White w/ Gold Splatters

Funeral Usher You into their Unyielding Embrace on New Single

"...set such a high bar for doom metal" - Angry Metal Guy

Few bands tread the line between despair and catharsis as poignantly as FUNERAL. Today, the Norwegian titans of sorrow are unveiling the latest single off their upcoming seventh album Gospel of Bones. "Procession of Misery" ushers you into the raw and unyielding embrace of doom metal.

Listen to "Procession of Misery" below.

Gospel of Bones is out October 18th on Season of Mist.

Pre-order & Pre-save

https://orcd.co/funeralgospelofbones

Hailing from the desolate climates of Norway, Funeral have built their legacy on crafting epic, melancholic soundscapes. The band are stalwart guardians of funeral doom with tones that are weighted as the bowed boughs of winter.

"Procession of Misery" carries forward their legacy, leading listeners through a morose symphony of sorrow. Their new single is a dirge, a solemn march into the abyss that doesn't shy away from staring into the void but rather finds a haunting beauty within it. Punctuated by relentless funeral drums and melodies that etch sorrow into the night sky, it embodies the soul-crushing bleakness that's fuels Funeral's 20-year legacy.  

Line-up
Anders Eek - Drums
Eirik Krokfjord - Vocals
Ingvild Johannesen - Violin
Rune Gandrud - Bass
Stian Kråbøl - Guitars
Morten Søbyskogen - Guitars

Recording Studio
Toproom Studio & Studio 42

Production Credits
Produced by Børge Finstad
Sound Engineered by Anders Langberg
Mixed & Mastered at Toproom Studio by Børge Finstad

Guest Musicians
Øyvind Rauset
Espen Ingjerd
Vilde Kråbøl
Anders Langberg

Cover Art
Tristan Diaz Bastie

Photography
Guilherme Henriques

Pre-order & Pre-save: https://orcd.co/funeralgospelofbones

Follow Funeral:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/funeralnorway/
Instagram: https://instagram.com/funeralnorway
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@DirgeofMourning
Bandcamp: https://funeraldoom.bandcamp.com/
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/0q3guqlmd8oVaz5v2Fqy3q
Apple Music: https://music.apple.com/artist/funeral/208973684
Deezer: https://www.deezer.com/artist/194130
TIDAL: https://tidal.com/browse/artist/23777

Funeral Drown in Melody on "Yestertear"

Today, FUNERAL returns with "Yestertear", the haunting second single from the Norwegian doom metal mainstay's upcoming ninth album Gospel of Bones. The band weaves a somber yet resilient tale through their melancholic soundscapes. "Yestertear" is a cathartic vessel, sailing through the darkest waters of human grief, only to emerge on the shores of mournful beauty.

Watch the visualizer for "Yestertear" below.

Gospel of Bones is out October 18th on Season of Mist.

Pre-order & pre-save here: https://orcd.co/funeralgospelofbones

Produced by the legendary Børge Finstad and adorned with the ethereal harmonies of Ingvild "Sareeta" Johannesen, Gospel of Bones is an opus of mourning carved in nightmarish tones and relentless dirges. Each track meticulously showcases Funeral's mastery in articulating the grim yet inspiring journey through pain and loss.     

"Yestertear" drowns in intricate melodies and the profound anguish woven with care by the hands of the Anders Eek (Drums, Guitars, Vocals) Erlend E. Nybo (Guitars), Rune Gandrud (Bass), Sareeta (Violin, Backing Vocals), Stian Kråbøl (Guitars) & Eirik P. Krokfjord (Vocals). Eek’s dismal symphonies echo across every note, leading through the desolate beauty of remembered sorrow and past hauntings. We are not merely listeners but fellow mourners, each phrase a whisper in the grand requiem of existence.

The lyrical content of the album is an autobiography of life’s mishaps of drummer/composer  A. Eek, and deals with real darkness, misery, pain and loss.  A Gospel of Bones.

Line-up
Anders Eek - Drums
Eirik Krokfjord - Vocals
Ingvild Johannesen - Violin
Rune Gandrud - Bass
Stian Kråbøl - Guitars
Morten Søbyskogen - Guitars

Recording Studio
Toproom Studio & Studio 42

Production Credits
Produced by Børge Finstad
Sound Engineered by Anders Langberg
Mixed & Mastered at Toproom Studio by Børge Finstad

Guest Musicians
Øyvind Rauset
Espen Ingjerd
Vilde Kråbøl
Anders Langberg

Cover Art
Tristan Diaz Bastie

Photography
Guilherme Henriques

Stream & Order:https://orcd.co/funeralgospelofbones

Follow Funeral:
Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/funeralnorway/
Instagram:https://instagram.com/funeralnorway
YouTube:https://www.youtube.com/@DirgeofMourning
Bandcamp:https://funeraldoom.bandcamp.com/
Spotify:https://open.spotify.com/artist/0q3guqlmd8oVaz5v2Fqy3q
Apple Music:https://music.apple.com/artist/funeral/208973684
Deezer:https://www.deezer.com/artist/194130
TIDAL:https://tidal.com/browse/artist/23777

Available Formats:
Digital Download
CD Digipak
2x12" Vinyl Gatefold - Black
2x12" Coloured Vinyl Gatefold - Natural Transparent
2x12" Coloured Vinyl Gatefold - Gold
2x12" Coloured Vinyl Gatefold - White w/ Gold Splatters

FUNERAL Announce Chilling New Album "Gospel of Bones"

In the shivering, twilight-stained expanse of Norway, where frost gnaws at ancient stones and shadows linger under perpetual twilight, FUNERAL weave tapestries of sorrow. The band's upcoming ninth album, Gospel of Bones, is a cavernous exploration of grief and resilience that's bound to echo deep within the hearts and souls of the doom metal faithful. Every note of lead single "My Own Grave" is meticulously carved from the raw nerves of pain, loss and solitude.   

Watch the elegiac video for "My Own Grave" below

Gospel of Bones comes out October 18, 2024 on Season of Mist.

Pre-order & Pre-save: https://orcd.co/funeralgospelofbones

When the weight of the world presses down like the bows of a snow-laden fir, Funeral stand resolute. The Norwegian band are guardians of the melancholic spirit that defines funeral doom metal, marching to the somber tune of operatic vocals, crushing riffs and the relentless dirge of the band's founder and drummer Anders Eek.

Gospel of Bones is a journey through the depths of despair. The album was produced by  the venerable Børge Finstad, who helped the enduring Norwegian band intertwine their intense, personal narrative of life's mishaps with a wide-ranging vision that bridges the chasm between doom metal, folk-rock and classical music. This mournful soundscape is enhanced by the artwork of Tristan Diaz Bastie, drawing listeners into a world where beauty and anguish waltz in a tragic embrace. 

"My Own Grave" is a harrowing scene of mournful splendor. Pounding drums, bowing strings, slow, chugging riffs and Eirik Krokfjord's operatic baritone lock together in a perpetual dance between life and the inevitable shadow of death.  

Melancholy. Pain. Loss. Solitude. Those had been just some of doom metal main themes ever since bleak pouring rain and the sound of church bell in the distance gave birth to the genre on BLACK SABBATH self-eponymous debut over five decades ago. But how many musicians have actually been bearing in their very flesh those gut-wrenching feelings?

Anders Eek – FUNERAL’s founding member, drummer and indisputable leader since 1991 – doesn’t particularly see it as a badge of honour, but he’d be the first to admit that somehow, the “death and loss we had to go through over the years were extremely painful yet inspiring, as a musician and as a human being.” And indeed, ever since their very first rehearsal in a basement in their hometown of Drammen, just outside of Oslo, Funeral had been ridden with problems and tragedy. Originally inspired by CATHEDRAL, CANDLEMASS, BLACK SABBATH, TROUBLE etc, they very quickly set out to create the most depressing and slowest form of doom/death possible at a time when their home country was being hailed as the birthplace of black metal. They went through several labels over the years, only to see them bust soon afterwards. Plagued by recurrent line-up problems, they even lost two of their key members Einar André Fredriksen (bass) and Christian Loos (guitar) in 2003 and 2006, respectively, to suicide and overdose.

But somehow, Eek never surrendered, but instead overcame all those obstacles by releasing over the years a slab of classics, each with its own, distinct personality, from the utter misery of the delicate yet none-so-extreme 1995 debut album ‘Tragedies’ to the more melodic and accessible 2001 gothic/doom masterpiece ‘In Fields Of Pestilent Grief’ or 2012 symphonic masterpiece ‘Oratorium’. Still, after the 30th anniversary concert in Oslo, april 12th 2022, also featuring the original singer Toril Snyen on the track «taarene», “life got in the way” as Anders puts it. “Some of us had kids, others moved out. Even I had quite a lot of things going on in my personal life and, at least for a while, maybe less drive to keep on carrying on the weight of the band on my shoulders. I never stopped writing music though because it’s something I’ve always done anyway.

2021 sees the band releasing Praesentialis in Aeternum (something along the line of “here eternally”) as a “natural progression. Guesting on  opening track ‘Ånd,’ the first single off the record, is Lars Nedland, Sindre’s own brother of BORKNAGAR and SOLEFALD fame. It’s also the first album for their new partner, Season of Mist.

In 2020 Eek started writing what was to become the album Gospel of Bones, to be released in October 2024.

In 2022 Singer Sindre Nedland was replaced by the professionally trained baritone opera singer Eirik Krokfjord (specialized in the works of Richard Wagner), known from both the Norwegian Opera Choir, as well as having several leading roles in operas both in Norway and abroad.

Violinist Ingvild Johannessen also joined the ranks, and the band moved away from programmed orchestration, and recorded all strings analogue.. This time around also incorporating the traditional Norwegian instrument the Harding fiddle, which is a key element throughout the entire upcoming album, moving the band slightly towards a more «folk» sound, combined with the classical opera-vocals of E. Krokfjord. Hopefully building bridges between both metal music, folk- rock and classical music.

Roughly 20 tracks were composed throughout the Covid pandemic(9 of whom made it to the studio), and yet again recorded and mixed at Toproom Studio, by Børge Finstad.

Violinist Øyvind Rauset, from the cult Norwegian folk-rock band FOLQUE, is performing on 2 tracks as a guest musician, as well as Espen Ingierd, with his very distinct singing-style in the vein of John Lennon, Michael Gira (SWANS)etc from cult doom/death band BEYOND DAWN singing on 2 tracks.

The album also contains an instrumental cover song , written by Kjetil Selvik, and is a melancholic piece only consisting of harding fiddle and church organ.

The lyrical content of the album is an autobiography of life’s mishaps of drummer/composer  A. Eek, and deals with real darkness, misery, pain and loss.  A Gospel of Bones.

Line-up
Anders Eek - Drums
Eirik Krokfjord - Vocals
Ingvild Johannesen - Violin
Rune Gandrud - Bass
Stian Kråbøl - Guitars
Morten Søbyskogen - Guitars

Recording Studio
Toproom Studio & Studio 42

Production Credits
Produced by Børge Finstad
Sound Engineered by Anders Langberg
Mixed & Mastered at Toproom Studio by Børge Finstad

Guest Musicians
Øyvind Rauset
Espen Ingjerd
Vilde Kråbøl
Anders Langberg

Cover Art
Tristan Diaz Bastie

Photography
Guilherme Henriques

Stream & Order: https://orcd.co/funeralgospelofbones

Follow Funeral:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/funeralnorway/
Instagram: https://instagram.com/funeralnorway
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@DirgeofMourning
Bandcamp: https://funeraldoom.bandcamp.com/
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/0q3guqlmd8oVaz5v2Fqy3q
Apple Music: https://music.apple.com/artist/funeral/208973684
Deezer: https://www.deezer.com/artist/194130
TIDAL: https://tidal.com/browse/artist/23777

FUNERAL Streams Entire New Album Ahead of Release

Norwegian doom metal pioneers FUNERAL will be releasing their newest full-length, 'Praesentialis in Aeternum,' on December 10, 2021 via Season of Mist! The band is now streaming the album in its entirety ahead of it's release! Listen at THIS LOCATION.

The band comments: "FUNERAL return with a contemplative exploration of the human condition. Baronial in atmosphere, deep in tone, vast in scope and for the first time in the history of the band conveyed in their native tongue. You are invited to listen and cogitate."

Pre-orders for 'Praesentialis in Aeternum' are now live HERE. You can pre-save the record on streaming services HERE.

Melancholy. Pain. Loss. Solitude. Those had been just some of doom metal main themes ever since bleak pouring rain and the sound of church bell in the distance gave birth to the genre on Black Sabbath self-eponymous debut over five decades ago. But how many musicians have actually been bearing in their very flesh those gut-wrenching feelings?

Anders Eek – Funeral’s founding member, drummer and undisputable leader since 1991 – doesn’t particularly see it as a badge of honour, but he’d be the first to admit that somehow, the “death and loss we had to go through over the years were extremely painful yet inspiring. But as a musician and as a human being.” And indeed, ever since their very first rehearsal in a basement in their hometown of Drammen just outside of Oslo, Funeral had been ridden with problems and tragedy. Originally inspired by Cathedral and Candlemass, they very quickly set out to create the most depressing and slowest form of doom/death possible at a time when their home country was being hailed as the birthplace of black metal. They went through several labels over the years, only to see them bust soon afterwards. Plagued by recurrent line-up problems, they even lost two of their key members Einar André Fredriksen (bass) and Christian Loos (guitar) in 2003 and 2006, respectively, to suicide and overdose.

But somehow, Eek never surrendered, but instead overcame all those obstacles by releasing over the years a slab of classics, each with its own, distinct personality, from the utter misery of the delicate yet none-so-extreme 1995 debut album Tragedies to the more melodic and accessible 2001 gothic/doom masterpiece In Fields Of Pestilent Grief or 2012 symphonic masterpiece Oratorium. Still, after the band most recent performance in Antwerpen on February 3, 2018, “life got in the way” as Anders puts it. “Some of us had kids, other moved out. Even I had quite a lot of things going on in my personal life and, at least for a while, maybe less drive to keep on carrying on the weight of the band on my sole shoulders. I never stopped writing music though because it’s something I’ve always done anyway. But there were less things happening you know. During that nine-year gap, I could have written ten albums but I only wrote two ah!”

The beast did sleep less than two years though as the following year singer Sindre Nedland, who had joined FUNERAL for Oratorium, “woke up from his slumber and told me he was ready to focus music again. I had the whole music demoed and ready, so it quickly snowballed from there.” For the first time ever, not only are the lyrics fully in Norwegian but they were also written by an outside collaborator, a “personal friend” of Anders who happens to be a psychologist. “He’s both a close friend and a fan of the band. So, he knows exactly how I roll and what the band is all about. I knew he was writing on the side so one day, as a joke almost, I told me about five years ago ‘hey, what don’t you write lyrics for my bands instead?’ and within five months, he did! His lyrics are more or less his take on philosopher Emmanuel Kant’s work. Initially, I thought about maybe translating them to English but it would have meant redoing them so in the end, we choose to keep them as they were. The booklet will include a little text explaining what they’re all about for those who don’t speak Norwegian.”

Musically, Anders describes Praesentialis in Aeternum (something along the line of “here eternally”) as a “natural progression. I know we have some fans who are only into the first albums and those who discovered us in the early 00’s but this new opus has a little bit of everything for everybody. The symphonic elements are far more bombastic yet much well more done, thanks to the evolution of technology since Oratorium. It’s in a way a mixture of our three last albums yet our most diverse work yet, with both quite concise and very epic pieces. As a matter of fact, we recorded something like ten songs but vowed to choose only the six best to get the best album possible.” Among them you’ll find one originally written during their third album From These Sounds session, one co-written with former founding member Thomas Angell (who left in 2000) and, in the deluxe version, a Candlemass (‘Samarithan’) cover version originally recorded back in 2005 with their then singer Frode Forsmo, thus linking Praesentialis in Aeternum with the band’s past history. Also guesting on ‘Ånd,’ the first single off the record, is Lars Nedland, Sindre’s own brother of Borknagar and Solefald fame. It’s also the first album for their new partner, Season of Mist.

Since the album was completed, the now septet has welcomed for the first time ever a full-time violin player “to perform live most of the strings you can hear on our albums as soon as we’ll be able to go back on stage.” In the meantime, Anders confesses the next album is more or less “finished. Praesentialis could have been released earlier if we hadn’t to face all those COVID-related problems. We couldn’t meet in person, let alone rehearse or even just take promo pictures… But now we have a new label, a new line-up and a totally renewed sense of energy so why stop there? Funeral started thirty years ago be truth be told, it’s never been stronger. So, doom on!”

Genre: Funeral doom

Recording Line-up:
Erlend Nybø – guitars
Magnus Tveiten - guitars
Sindre Nedland – vocals
Anders Eek - drums
Rune Gandrud – bass
Andrè Aaslie - orchestration

Current lineup:
Erlend Nybø – guitars
Magnus Tveiten - guitars
Sindre Nedland – vocals
Anders Eek - drums
Rune Gandrud – bass
Ingvild Anette Strønen Johanessen / Sareeta - orchestration

Guest Musicians:
Lars Are Nedland (BORKNAGAR) - "Ånd"

Recording Studio:
Strand Studio and Toproom Studio

Producer/Sound Engineers:
Børge Finstad, Marius Strand

Mixing and mastering:
Børge Finstad @ Toproom Studios

Cover Art:
Christopher Rådlund

Bio: Olivier Badden

Pre-sales: https://redirect.season-of-mist.com/funeral-praesentialis

Links:
http://www.funeralband.no
https://www.facebook.com/funeralnorway/

FUNERAL Shares New Song, "Materie

Norwegian doom metal pioneers FUNERAL will be releasing their newest full-length, 'Praesentialis in Aeternum,' on December 10, 2021 via Season of Mist! The band has teamed up with The Obelisk to share the video for the brand new song, "Materie,"

Pre-orders for 'Praesentialis in Aeternum' are now live HERE. You can pre-save the record on streaming services HERE.

Melancholy. Pain. Loss. Solitude. Those had been just some of doom metal main themes ever since bleak pouring rain and the sound of church bell in the distance gave birth to the genre on Black Sabbath self-eponymous debut over five decades ago. But how many musicians have actually been bearing in their very flesh those gut-wrenching feelings?

Anders Eek – Funeral’s founding member, drummer and undisputable leader since 1991 – doesn’t particularly see it as a badge of honour, but he’d be the first to admit that somehow, the “death and loss we had to go through over the years were extremely painful yet inspiring. But as a musician and as a human being.” And indeed, ever since their very first rehearsal in a basement in their hometown of Drammen just outside of Oslo, Funeral had been ridden with problems and tragedy. Originally inspired by Cathedral and Candlemass, they very quickly set out to create the most depressing and slowest form of doom/death possible at a time when their home country was being hailed as the birthplace of black metal. They went through several labels over the years, only to see them bust soon afterwards. Plagued by recurrent line-up problems, they even lost two of their key members Einar André Fredriksen (bass) and Christian Loos (guitar) in 2003 and 2006, respectively, to suicide and overdose.

But somehow, Eek never surrendered, but instead overcame all those obstacles by releasing over the years a slab of classics, each with its own, distinct personality, from the utter misery of the delicate yet none-so-extreme 1995 debut album Tragedies to the more melodic and accessible 2001 gothic/doom masterpiece In Fields Of Pestilent Grief or 2012 symphonic masterpiece Oratorium. Still, after the band most recent performance in Antwerpen on February 3, 2018, “life got in the way” as Anders puts it. “Some of us had kids, other moved out. Even I had quite a lot of things going on in my personal life and, at least for a while, maybe less drive to keep on carrying on the weight of the band on my sole shoulders. I never stopped writing music though because it’s something I’ve always done anyway. But there were less things happening you know. During that nine-year gap, I could have written ten albums but I only wrote two ah!”

The beast did sleep less than two years though as the following year singer Sindre Nedland, who had joined FUNERAL for Oratorium, “woke up from his slumber and told me he was ready to focus music again. I had the whole music demoed and ready, so it quickly snowballed from there.” For the first time ever, not only are the lyrics fully in Norwegian but they were also written by an outside collaborator, a “personal friend” of Anders who happens to be a psychologist. “He’s both a close friend and a fan of the band. So, he knows exactly how I roll and what the band is all about. I knew he was writing on the side so one day, as a joke almost, I told me about five years ago ‘hey, what don’t you write lyrics for my bands instead?’ and within five months, he did! His lyrics are more or less his take on philosopher Emmanuel Kant’s work. Initially, I thought about maybe translating them to English but it would have meant redoing them so in the end, we choose to keep them as they were. The booklet will include a little text explaining what they’re all about for those who don’t speak Norwegian.”

Musically, Anders describes Praesentialis in Aeternum (something along the line of “here eternally”) as a “natural progression. I know we have some fans who are only into the first albums and those who discovered us in the early 00’s but this new opus has a little bit of everything for everybody. The symphonic elements are far more bombastic yet much well more done, thanks to the evolution of technology since Oratorium. It’s in a way a mixture of our three last albums yet our most diverse work yet, with both quite concise and very epic pieces. As a matter of fact, we recorded something like ten songs but vowed to choose only the six best to get the best album possible.” Among them you’ll find one originally written during their third album From These Sounds session, one co-written with former founding member Thomas Angell (who left in 2000) and, in the deluxe version, a Candlemass (‘Samarithan’) cover version originally recorded back in 2005 with their then singer Frode Forsmo, thus linking Praesentialis in Aeternum with the band’s past history. Also guesting on ‘Ånd,’ the first single off the record, is Lars Nedland, Sindre’s own brother of Borknagar and Solefald fame. It’s also the first album for their new partner, Season of Mist.

Since the album was completed, the now septet has welcomed for the first time ever a full-time violin player “to perform live most of the strings you can hear on our albums as soon as we’ll be able to go back on stage.” In the meantime, Anders confesses the next album is more or less “finished. Praesentialis could have been released earlier if we hadn’t to face all those COVID-related problems. We couldn’t meet in person, let alone rehearse or even just take promo pictures… But now we have a new label, a new line-up and a totally renewed sense of energy so why stop there? Funeral started thirty years ago be truth be told, it’s never been stronger. So, doom on!”

Genre: Funeral doom

Recording Line-up:
Erlend Nybø – guitars
Magnus Tveiten - guitars
Sindre Nedland – vocals
Anders Eek - drums
Rune Gandrud – bass
Andrè Aaslie - orchestration

Current lineup:
Erlend Nybø – guitars
Magnus Tveiten - guitars
Sindre Nedland – vocals
Anders Eek - drums
Rune Gandrud – bass
Ingvild Anette Strønen Johanessen / Sareeta - orchestration

Guest Musicians:
Lars Are Nedland (BORKNAGAR) - "Ånd"

Recording Studio:
Strand Studio and Toproom Studio

Producer/Sound Engineers:
Børge Finstad, Marius Strand

Mixing and mastering:
Børge Finstad @ Toproom Studios

Cover Art:
Christopher Rådlund

Bio: Olivier Badden

Pre-sales: https://redirect.season-of-mist.com/funeral-praesentialis

Links:
http://www.funeralband.no
https://www.facebook.com/funeralnorway/

FUNERAL Announces New Album, Shares Video for First Single

Norwegian doom metal pioneers FUNERAL will be releasing their newest full-length, 'Praesentialis in Aeternum,' on December 10, 2021 via Season of Mist! The album artwork, tracklist, and details can be found below. The band is now sharing the first single, "Ånd," which features gust vocals from Lars Are Nedland (SOLEFALD/BORKNAGAR), along with an official music video that was created entirely by the band! The song and video can be found at THIS LOCATION.

Pre-orders for 'Praesentialis in Aeternum' are now live HERE. You can pre-save the record on streaming services HERE.

Melancholy. Pain. Loss. Solitude. Those had been just some of doom metal main themes ever since bleak pouring rain and the sound of church bell in the distance gave birth to the genre on Black Sabbath self-eponymous debut over five decades ago. But how many musicians have actually been bearing in their very flesh those gut-wrenching feelings?

Anders Eek – Funeral’s founding member, drummer and undisputable leader since 1991 – doesn’t particularly see it as a badge of honour, but he’d be the first to admit that somehow, the “death and loss we had to go through over the years were extremely painful yet inspiring. But as a musician and as a human being.” And indeed, ever since their very first rehearsal in a basement in their hometown of Drammen just outside of Oslo, Funeral had been ridden with problems and tragedy. Originally inspired by Cathedral and Candlemass, they very quickly set out to create the most depressing and slowest form of doom/death possible at a time when their home country was being hailed as the birthplace of black metal. They went through several labels over the years, only to see them bust soon afterwards. Plagued by recurrent line-up problems, they even lost two of their key members Einar André Fredriksen (bass) and Christian Loos (guitar) in 2003 and 2006, respectively, to suicide and overdose.

But somehow, Eek never surrendered, but instead overcame all those obstacles by releasing over the years a slab of classics, each with its own, distinct personality, from the utter misery of the delicate yet none-so-extreme 1995 debut album Tragedies to the more melodic and accessible 2001 gothic/doom masterpiece In Fields Of Pestilent Grief or 2012 symphonic masterpiece Oratorium. Still, after the band most recent performance in Antwerpen on February 3, 2018, “life got in the way” as Anders puts it. “Some of us had kids, other moved out. Even I had quite a lot of things going on in my personal life and, at least for a while, maybe less drive to keep on carrying on the weight of the band on my sole shoulders. I never stopped writing music though because it’s something I’ve always done anyway. But there were less things happening you know. During that nine-year gap, I could have written ten albums but I only wrote two ah!”

The beast did sleep less than two years though as the following year singer Sindre Nedland, who had joined FUNERAL for Oratorium, “woke up from his slumber and told me he was ready to focus music again. I had the whole music demoed and ready, so it quickly snowballed from there.” For the first time ever, not only are the lyrics fully in Norwegian but they were also written by an outside collaborator, a “personal friend” of Anders who happens to be a psychologist. “He’s both a close friend and a fan of the band. So, he knows exactly how I roll and what the band is all about. I knew he was writing on the side so one day, as a joke almost, I told me about five years ago ‘hey, what don’t you write lyrics for my bands instead?’ and within five months, he did! His lyrics are more or less his take on philosopher Emmanuel Kant’s work. Initially, I thought about maybe translating them to English but it would have meant redoing them so in the end, we choose to keep them as they were. The booklet will include a little text explaining what they’re all about for those who don’t speak Norwegian.”

Musically, Anders describes Praesentialis in Aeternum (something along the line of “here eternally”) as a “natural progression. I know we have some fans who are only into the first albums and those who discovered us in the early 00’s but this new opus has a little bit of everything for everybody. The symphonic elements are far more bombastic yet much well more done, thanks to the evolution of technology since Oratorium. It’s in a way a mixture of our three last albums yet our most diverse work yet, with both quite concise and very epic pieces. As a matter of fact, we recorded something like ten songs but vowed to choose only the six best to get the best album possible.” Among them you’ll find one originally written during their third album From These Sounds session, one co-written with former founding member Thomas Angell (who left in 2000) and, in the deluxe version, a Candlemass (‘Samarithan’) cover version originally recorded back in 2005 with their then singer Frode Forsmo, thus linking Praesentialis in Aeternum with the band’s past history. Also guesting on ‘Ånd,’ the first single off the record, is Lars Nedland, Sindre’s own brother of Borknagar and Solefald fame. It’s also the first album for their new partner, Season of Mist.

Since the album was completed, the now septet has welcomed for the first time ever a full-time violin player “to perform live most of the strings you can hear on our albums as soon as we’ll be able to go back on stage.” In the meantime, Anders confesses the next album is more or less “finished. Praesentialis could have been released earlier if we hadn’t to face all those COVID-related problems. We couldn’t meet in person, let alone rehearse or even just take promo pictures… But now we have a new label, a new line-up and a totally renewed sense of energy so why stop there? Funeral started thirty years ago be truth be told, it’s never been stronger. So, doom on!”

Genre: Funeral doom

Recording Line-up:
Erlend Nybø – guitars
Magnus Tveiten - guitars
Sindre Nedland – vocals
Anders Eek - drums
Rune Gandrud – bass
Andrè Aaslie - orchestration

Current lineup:
Erlend Nybø – guitars
Magnus Tveiten - guitars
Sindre Nedland – vocals
Anders Eek - drums
Rune Gandrud – bass
Ingvild Anette Strønen Johanessen / Sareeta - orchestration

Guest Musicians:
Lars Are Nedland (BORKNAGAR) - "Ånd"

Recording Studio:
Strand Studio and Toproom Studio

Producer/Sound Engineers:
Børge Finstad, Marius Strand

Mixing and mastering:
Børge Finstad @ Toproom Studios

Cover Art:
Christopher Rådlund

Bio: Olivier Badden

Pre-sales: https://redirect.season-of-mist.com/funeral-praesentialis

Links:
http://www.funeralband.no
https://www.facebook.com/funeralnorway/