Funeral Chasm Proves the "Omniversal Existence" of Doom (Early Album Stream)
Though funeral doom, being a dour and gloomy affair in accordance with its namesake, is inevitably tied to its low-end might, the upper registers are key. Providing enough headroom and ‘air’ is, perhaps, even more critical to achieving the transcendental moments the glacial genre is renowned for, as opposed to simply finding the largest amplifiers possible. The Danish duo Funeral Chasm‘s debut album Omniversal Existence takes this principle to heart, incorporating billowing synth textures, clean vocals, and melodic explorations that make significant use of the space not occupied by distorted guitar and growls. Achieving a psychedelic twist on the normally somber genre, it’s an interesting approach that yields a form of doom metal quite in line with the trippy album art. Listen to the whole album now with our exclusive premiere ahead of its Friday release:
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Due in part to how much else is going on in the record, the rhythm guitar presence on Omniversal Existence is more of a far-off threatening presence than an immediate threat: like eyes glinting in the dark, mournful riffs serve to outline the shape of larger tragedies further illuminated by pounding drums, echoing leads, synth pads, and a range of vocal deliveries—mostly clean and often high-pitched (which might be polarizing for some listeners). Still, the shift in tone from when heavy guitar is present to when it drops out is stark: these lulls, further emphasizing the bright tonality of the record, give the drops back into full instrumentation their rightful might.
This complex instrumentation and appreciation of subtle layers is what gives Funeral Chasm’s sound its distinct character— on my personal favorite track “The Truth That Never Was,” even just the first few minutes involves three or four layers of vocals at play, plus powerful riffs enhanced by ringing layers of synths and overarching melodies. While this may not be a record to put your subwoofer through its paces to, the glittering high end provides a paradoxically bright implementation of doom metal worth turning up.
The band comments:
Morten is originally from Aarhus, Denmark and started playing guitar as a teenager. Morten is self-taught and finds, as an introvert, his inspiration from within. The music sits in the fingers, and has been a steady companion through life.
Danny is from Hornslet, Denmark and since childhood, music has been a force to be reckoned with. Danny is a self-taught multi-musician and can play a sea of instruments as well as genre.
The members of the group originally come from the Aarhus area and met each other at a metal event over 20 years ago. The meeting developed into a friendship based on the passion for metal music, the musical creativity and mutual respect for each other. For a period, they lived together in a collective in Løgten Denmark, where another resident later helped form the framework for Above Ravens, which is pagan black. Above Ravens became the catalyst for a creative process and thus Funeral Chasm emerged. Danny and Morten sought a more experimental approach to the genre, which started as Funeral Doom, but which today is an eclectic mix of different genres and subgenres. Danny’s long career in doom and Morten’s special guitar sound has created a playful approach to music and genres. In the process, there were no rules, but a dynamic flow with a sense of detail and new sounds. Creativity has been the driving force behind Funeral Chasm. Despite the recent release, the group is already working on a new album, which will once again accommodate the playful, eclectic and creative approach to music.
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Omniversal Existence releases July 2nd, 2021 via Aesthetic Death.
