Band : Funeral For A Friend
Album Title : Memory And Humanity
Label : Roadrunner Records
Distribution : Roadrunner Records – Concreteweb Promotion Office
Release date : November 2008
Review : CD

“Memory And Humanity” is the fourth studio album of the post-hardcore band Funeral For A Friend (commonly abbreviated as FFAF).
The band was formed in 2001 in Bridgend, Wales and since I heard their debut album “Casually Dressed & Deep In Conversation” in 2003 and discovered FFAF as support act of Iron Maiden’s 2003 “Dance Of Death” tour, I’ve always followed this band.
After the release of the second album “Hours” (2005) and the third album “Tales Don’t Tell Themselves” (2007), FFAF were no longer under contract with Atlantic Records. The fivesome now have their own label, Join Us, and a record deal with Roadrunner Records.
The first plans were to release an EP in early 2008, but since they wrote more material than originally planned, the band decided to release a full-length album, with “Memory And Humanity” as the result.
And the sound of FFAF hasn’t changed. It’s still post-hardcore, or emocore like some call it, with catchy riffs, passionate singing lines by Matt Davies and a lot of emotions stuffed in the well-structured songs.
Bass player Gareth Ellis-Davies left the band in September 2008 on a friendly basis because he got married and lives in the USA. His replacement is Gavin Burrough.
“Memory And Humanity” contains 13 songs and has a playing time of 44 minutes.
Highlights are the opening track "Rules And Games", the single “Kicking And Screaming”, "Maybe I Am?", “You Can’t See The Forest For The Wolves”, “Beneath The Burning Tree”, " Waterfront Dance Club" and “Ghosts”.
Funeral For A Friend will probably play at the Groezrock festival on April 18th and April 19th 2009 in Meerhout, Belgium. To be confirmed in the next couple of weeks.

80/100

Erik.