FUNERAL NATION
After The Battle XXV
(RK Productions)
111:08min

Chicago based Death / Thrashers FUNERAL NATION re-released their debut (and only) full length “In Battle” with some nice bonus features, especially for people who are not familiar with the band. Disc 1 starts off with the record itself even though with a different tracklist and some bonus tracks not to be found on the original release back in 1991. I tried to figure out where these tracks actually come from but failed to succeed since there is no proper information to be found (well, it’s actually the same songs as on the original Turbo Music CD edition, all in their original mixes, plus the track ‘Satan’s Pray’, which was rejected by the label back then – Frank) . Nevertheless the record itself is a pretty good one, a primitive and evil hybrid of Death and Thrash Metal with lots of catchy tunes. When I first discovered this band I always thought they are not fast enough but after a while I understood that FUNERAL NATION don’t have to play with 1000mph since they simply deliver by being evil and masculine as fuck. If you’re not familiar with the band and how they sound, think of POSSESSED but leave out the severe insanity and youthful charm, the result is something close to FUNERAL NATION. So to make it short; nothing special but still better than a lot of other crap that tries to abuse your eardrums nowadays. CD 2 starts off with my favorite release of them, their first demo “State Of Insanity”. This demo consists of four tracks that were re-recorded for the full length but with a rawer and more evil sounding production. Definitely their best effort in my book. Following those four demo tracks are again some weird “alternate takes” of “known” songs even though I have no clue where they actually come from. Besides the rather exotic sounding ‘Incased In Glass’, which appears on a later demo of the band, the tracks all deliver pure FUNERAL NATION material be it with or without vocals. Disc 2 gets finished off with some live tracks in proper underground quality. To sum this release up, I think it is more than a worthy collection of material by a band that only die-hard deathbangers are aware of. In case you’re not familiar with the band this re-release (plus the other demo / EP / rarities compilation "Open Wide The Gates Of Hell" – Frank) definitely supplies you with everything you need. You’ll get the information you need here: www.funeralnationband.com, www.facebook.com/funeralnationband, http://funeralnation.bandcamp.com

Marco Stebich

Marco Stebich

Related reviews / interviews:
FUNERAL NATION - Molded From Sin (Thomas Meyer)
FUNERAL NATION - Open Wide The Gates Of Hell (Ricardo Campos)
FUNERAL NATION - Interview (Huaira Herrera)

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