Funeral Mist is basically known as being a norsecore band that doesn’t suck. The elements are certainly in place on their label releases- unrelenting blastbeats, thick as hell production, and unrelenting violence- but, thanks to imaginative riffcraft and more complex than the norm structuring, those two releases are able to stand out in the post-2000 black metal scene. Still, the unchanging mood on much of those two releases really holds them back, and leaves the listener wondering what they could pull off were they to attempt a more dynamic, less forced style of songwriting.
This demo answers that question by showing the band playing in a style that’s best described stylistically as “In the Nightside Eclipse” meets “Wrath of the Tyrant”. The structuring is “Wrath”-like in it takes a few ideas and wraps them into short to mid-length songs that are advanced by frequently shifting into new variations of those ideas, playing with tempo and harmonics to let songs change mood gradually before bursting into a climax by suddenly switching to one of the earlier (and more violent) incarnations of that particular idea. “Wrath” is also called to mind in the fast, ripping tempos and raw, yet perfectly clear, production. Where this differs from “Wrath” and leans closer to ITNE is in the lack of punk influence and in the dual-guitar attack. Funeral Mist refuses to craft simple “The Return”-era Bathory style riffs that rock along on a few chords, but rather creates long-phrase melodies as the building blocks of their songs, frequently using the second guitar to play counterpoint to the first as Emperor did on “Into the Infinity of Thoughts” and “Inno a Satana”. As is the case with so many Swedish bands, there is a possible weakness in that the melodies can become a bit too resolved within themselves at times, a touch too ear friendly, but it largely has no adverse effect because this method of composition removes much of the emphasis from the individual riffs and places it on the overarching structure that those riffs make up.
The effect of this style of composition is great. Suitably violent guitar lines mesh seamlessly with their epic, almost joyful, counterparts- rather than worshipping evil, the music here portrays it as being simply a part of the world, with horror and beauty locked inextricably with each other, working together to create a world greater than either the good or evil alone could be (a theme later explored lyrically on “Breathing Wounds” from “Salvation”). As such, it is strongly recommended for all black metal fans, particularly those of Auzhia, Sacramentum, Sorcier Des Glaces, Nox Intempesta, early Graveland, and early Emperor.
Standout tracks: Funeral Mist, Infernal Atavism