Today, in the age of internet platforms, it’s common to see bands taking longer timespans to record new labels. If we think about countries with high life costs, on Brazil is common for musicians to have formal works outside of music (because they must earn a life and to support their families, you know). But it doesn’t mean that they’re not excellent bands, it’s the opposite (the reality is that a great amount of Brazilian Metalheads don’t give the right support to bands from the country), and the trio FUNERATUS, from the city of Mococa, is a survivor that refuses to give up, as heard on “Age of Darkness”, their new EP, that’s out now. They’re alive, and still killing!

A good release starts by a fine artwork. And the band hired Alcides Burns (of Burns Artwork), who created a somber and nasty cover, with a ‘trademark’ set of features that Alcides' works bear. And on the sonority, a brutal and nasty appeal usual for Death Metal, but with a clear live feeling, showing a very good work done at Joca Miquinioti Studio (recordings, where André Costa helped as assistant producer and recording technician), with everything sounding defined, but as Death Metal as it can be. The trio works on a traditional way into Death Metal, evading speedy tempos that try to transcend the speed of light (even using fast double bass and blast beats on the drums), but with a very good technical insight, and even a melodic subjective background (especially on the guitar leads), and it’s not a sin to hear some Old School Black Metal influences. The formula used by the trio isn’t eroded, and in their hands, is hard to resist.

“Godless” is a very good with shifts on the rhythms and many hooks (the bass guitar and drums are excellent, indeed). Following comes “Revenge of the Condemned”, a solid track with excellent extreme Metal hooks, with guitars blazing hooking riffs (and the grunts are fitting perfectly on the instrumental features) and melodic solos. On “536”, a brutal and oppressive slow song (that gains some energy and speed in a moment, than return to the slow tempos) with excellent instrumental parts allowing the grunted vocals and harsh screams to express the lyrics of it (536 was a year where a volcano in Iceland erupted and expelled a cloud of ash that darkened the world for 18 months and caused the colling of the world’s mean temperature). And “Soldier’s Death” is a fast and brutal song in a traditional Death Metal way, heavy as Hell and full of energy. And it’s good to say that along Fernando and André (the founders of the band) is now the drummer Bruno (former member of HORNED GOD, MYSTERIIS, ENDLESS WAR and others), who played some parts on the band’s first album, “Storm of Vengeance” (2002).

All that’s left to say is that “Age of Darkness” shows as FUNERATUS is still alive and ready for conquers. Pay your respect to these pioneers of Brazilian Death Metal. 🤘🏻 🤘🏻 🤘🏻

By the way, “Age of Darkness” can be heard here:

https://onerpm.link/798790330850