Conduit

When it comes to inconsistency, Funeral For A Friend could probably win some sort of prize.

With more past members than current ones and a sound that has varied from 2007′ pop styled Tales Don’t Tell Themselves to the punchy post-hardcore of 2011s Welcome Home Armageddon, producing consistent records is hardly their forte.

But who says inconsistency is a bad thing? The Welsh five-piece’s latest release, Conduit, proves that experimentation can lead to great success.

Given the album length is little more than half an hour, the band have managed to produce a sense of building momentum and powerful aggression that works perfectly with their post hardcore sound.

The band open the album with one of their most commanding tracks, “Spine.”

The short track introduces the listener to the high octane, surging musical collection that is Conduit. “Death Comes To Us All” is the perfect central track, encompassing Funeral For A Friend’s ability to mesh metal and hardcore with a catchy pop chorus.

The albums final track, “High Castles” underpins the anger and authority of the album, but ends too suddenly, leaving the listener feeling no real sense of closure.

Overall, the LP is a resounding success. Funeral For A Friend’s sixth studio album illustrates emotion and deep personal conflict while and blurring the lines between genres seamlessly.

Conduit is engaging, powerful and is easily their most impressive album to date.

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