Conduit (Funeral for a Friend album)

Conduit
Studio album by
Funeral for a Friend
Released28 January 2013 (2013-01-28)
GenrePost-hardcore, melodic hardcore
Length29:20
LabelDistiller Records (UK)
The End Records (US)
ProducerRomesh Dodangoda
Funeral for a Friend chronology
See You All in Hell
(2011) 		Conduit
(2013) 		Chapter and Verse
(2015)
Singles from Conduit
  1. "Best Friends And Hospital Beds"
    Released: 12 November 2012[1]

Conduit is the sixth studio album by Welsh post-hardcore band Funeral for a Friend. It was released on 28 January 2013 in the UK and 5 February 2013 in the United States. This is the band's first release with former Rise to Remain drummer Pat Lundy, who replaced long-term drummer and vocalist Ryan Richards during the album's production.[2] Throughout the recording of the album the band released several teaser videos that showed the recording of individual instruments.[3]

Style[edit]

Conduit is described as being more consistently heavy than their previous releases, as they have all varied in style.[4] Conduit is seen as the band returning to their musical roots,[5] this is reflected in how it is some of the band's heaviest material[6] and that raw music featured on the album captures the energy of a younger band.[7][8] Much like their previous work the album is considered as post-hardcore.[9] The album features a combination of metalcore guitar riffs, metallic breakdowns, gang vocals, 'emotionally charged hooks'[6][10] and melodic choruses.[11] Matthew Davies has summarised the record neatly by saying "it's a post-hardcore record that is not afraid to drop into some hardcore for good measure." Saying elements of it are "extremely direct and gritty".[12]

The band's new drummer Pat Lundy has summarised the style on the record as "lot heavier and a lot more current" describing Davies' vocals as "exploring more than ever now".[13] Davis' screaming vocals are seen as bridging the gap between his normal melodic vocals and the screamed vocals of the band's previous drummer and vocalist Ryan Richards (however, Davies previously used more conventional screamed vocals of his own prominently in some early songs by the band and as occasional elements on later albums).[14] Lyrical themes on the album range through several topics, "from the passage of time to the power of advertising to friends dying".[7]

The song 'The Distance' is seen as continuing the album's theme as being "a driving rocker that speaks to making a connection"[15] and has been claimed to feature one of the album's catchiest choruses and guitar licks.[14] 'Best Friends and Hospital Beds' lyrically focuses on death and the "futility of life".[16] Critics have used it as an example that is designed for live shows.[14] Tracks 'Death Comes To Us All' and 'Grey' have been compared to the "apocalyptic anthems" of their previous album Welcome Home Armageddon.[17]

Title and packaging[edit]

Conduit has been described by the other band members as about the experiences of being in a band.[1] For the album art the band recruited Wales-based artist Snowskull, who was revealed to be Matthew Evans, who was a founding vocalist in Funeral for a Friend. Matthew Davies, the band's current vocalist, decided to contact Evans as Davies felt the inclusion of a former member was very apt.[18] Evans also performed backing vocals on track 1, "Spine".

Release and promotion[edit]

The first single released from the album was "Best Friends And Hospital Beds". Despite the song being released as a single on 12 November 2012,[1] its music video was released a month prior on 10 October. The music video was directed by Ryan Mackfall and is set in a "bleak and derelict landscape"[18] and has been described as a "28 Days Later style viral infection video".[19] A second music video for 'The Distance' was released on 3 January 2013[20] and a typography styled video was released for the song later in the month.[15] The band unveiled the third track from the album 'Nails' through Kerrang! magazine[21] and then released an album sampler.[22]

Conduit was released through Distiller Records on 28 January 2013 in the United Kingdom[1] and 5 February 2013 through The End Records in the United States.[23] The release was supported by an intimate 23 date tour of the United Kingdom with support from Such Gold and Major league.[21] Those who bought a ticket for the tour also received a coupon for a reduced pricing of the album.[18] The End Records created an exclusive packaging of the album with a second, "Live From The Roundhouse" disc to come with the album which was given away for free with all pre orders of the album.[20]

The band also released a 'deluxe box set', which featured the album on both CD and Cassette Tape, an exclusive T-shirt, a signed poster, and a booklet containing handwritten notes on the songs from all the band members.

Two days after its release in the United Kingdom, Conduit appeared on the UK Albums Chart at 16[24] and ended the week at 34.[25]

Reception[edit]

Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
Metacritic(66/100)[26]
Review scores
SourceRating
Allmusic[11]
Blabbermouth.net(7.5/10)[27]
BBC(Favourable)[5]
Drowned in Sound(6/10)[9]
Gig Wise(Favourable)[28]
The Guardian[29]
New Musical Express(4/10)[30]
Rock Sound(9/10)[7]
The Shields Gazette(6/10)[8]
The Skinny[10]
Sputnikmusic(3.4/5)[31]
Virgin Media[17]

Conduit received generally positive reviews from music critics. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalised rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, the album received an average score of 66, based on 11 reviews, which indicates "generally favorable reviews".[26] Rock Sound writer Ben Patashnik gave the album a 9 out of 10 score praising the band's youthful energy and as being "one of our most treasured bands", summarising his review with "if they can't be the biggest band in the UK any more, this album screams, they might as well go back to being one of the best."[7] The Shields Gazette gave the album a six out of ten commenting on the raw sound of the album: "Many of the melodic touches are gone, and this is a much rawer offering, as if they were just setting out. That works well on the likes of Nails and Sun-Less, but some tracks do sound a bit samey. Not a bad album then, but not their best".[8] Ross Watson of the Scottish publication The Skinny praised the album's "short, lean entirely engaging" punk approach.[10]

Track listing[edit]

No.TitleLength
1."Spine"2:24
2."Conduit"2:19
3."The Distance"2:28
4."Best Friends and Hospital Beds"2:47
5."Nails"2:59
6."Death Comes to Us All"3:17
7."Travelled"2:11
8."Grey"2:15
9."Sun-Less"2:30
10."Elements"2:47
11."High Castles"3:37
Total length:29:20
Japanese bonus tracks
No.TitleLength
13."Energy Dome" (Snapcase cover)2:37
14."Bullet in the Head" (Rage Against the Machine cover)5:11

Music videos[edit]

  • Best Friends and Hospital Beds (2012)
  • The Distance (2013)
  • Nails (2013)
  • Conduit (2014)

Recording personnel[edit]

Chart performance[edit]

Chart (2013) Peak
position
UK Albums Chart[25] 34
UK Rock Chart 2
UK Indie Chart 2

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b c d "Funeral for a Friend's Sixth Album 'Conduit' To Be Released in January 2013!". Rocksound. Freeway Press. 4 October 2012. Archived from the original on 9 October 2012. Retrieved 8 October 2012.
  2. ^ "Funeral for a Friend's new drummer Pat Lundy reveals how he joined the band". NME. 23 May 2012. Retrieved 9 October 2012.
  3. ^ "Watch: Funeral For A Friend Post Studio Update". This Is Fake DIY. 7 May 2012. Retrieved 8 October 2012.
  4. ^ Sean Reid (14 January 2013). "Album Review: Funeral For A Friend – Conduit". Already Heard. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 18 January 2013.
  5. ^ a b Mischa Pearlman (21 January 2013). "Welsh post-hardcore five-piece delivers its best album in years". BBC Music. BBC. Retrieved 5 February 2013.
  6. ^ a b Ian Pemberton (11 January 2013). "Funeral for a Friend – Conduit: Review". Media Blasphemy. Archived from the original on 19 January 2013. Retrieved 18 January 2013.
  7. ^ a b c d Patashnik, Ben (28 September 2011). Darren Taylor (ed.). "Funeral for a Friend 'Conduit' (Distiller)". Rock Sound (170). London: Freeway Press: 84. ISSN 1465-0185.
  8. ^ a b c GW (5 February 2013). "Album review: Funeral For A Friend – Conduit". The Shields Gazette. Johnston Publishing. Archived from the original on 11 April 2013. Retrieved 5 February 2013.
  9. ^ a b John Watt (23 January 2013). "Funeral for a Friend – Conduit". Drowned in Sound. Archived from the original on 6 June 2019. Retrieved 5 February 2013.
  10. ^ a b c Ross Watson (7 January 2012). "Funeral for a Friend – Conduit". The Skinny. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |url= (help)
  11. ^ a b Gregory Heaney. "Conduit – Funeral for a Friend : Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards". AllMusic. Rovi. Retrieved 5 February 2013.
  12. ^ Hugh Morris (8 July 2012). "Funeral for a Friend: 'We Never Thought We Would Throw In The Towel'". This Is Fake DIY. Retrieved 2 August 2012. Matt reckons the new album, currently being mixed, is a return to those roots. "It's kind of hard to anticipate what people are going to think it. We love it. It's extremely direct and gritty," he says, "It's a post-hardcore record that is not afraid to drop into some hardcore for good measure."
  13. ^ "Funeral for a Friend planning 'very different' new album". NME. 25 May 2012. Retrieved 9 October 2012.
  14. ^ a b c Heather McDaid (12 January 2013). "Review: Funeral For A Friend – 'Conduit'". Indulge-sound.com. Retrieved 18 January 2013.
  15. ^ a b Chad Childers (16 January 2013). "Funeral for a Friend, 'The Distance' Lyric Video – Exclusive Premiere". Loud Wire. Retrieved 19 January 2013.
  16. ^ Tim Lee (21 October 2012). "Track Reviews: 15–21 October 2012". musicOHM. Retrieved 4 December 2017.
  17. ^ a b Ian Gittins. "Funeral for a Friend: Conduit Album Review". Retrieved 5 February 2013.
  18. ^ a b c "Funeral For a Friend Unveil Best Friends Video". Glasswerk National. 10 October 2012. Archived from the original on 16 October 2012. Retrieved 12 October 2012.
  19. ^ "FUNERAL FOR A FRIEND DROP VIDEO FOR NEW SINGLE". Front Magazine. The Kane Corporation, Ltd. 10 October 2012. Archived from the original on 14 October 2012. Retrieved 12 October 2012.
  20. ^ a b "FUNERAL FOR A FRIEND: 'The Distance' Video Released". Blabbermouth.net. 3 January 2012. Retrieved 7 January 2012.
  21. ^ a b James McMahon, ed. (16 January 2013). "Kerrang.com exclusive: check out Funeral For A Friend's new track!". Kerrang!. London. Retrieved 19 January 2012.
  22. ^ "Funeral for a Friend 'Conduit' Album Teaser". Property Of Zack. 14 January 2013. Retrieved 19 January 2013.
  23. ^ "FUNERAL FOR A FRIEND: New Album To Receive U.S. Release In February". Blabbermouth.net. 5 October 2012. Archived from the original on 21 February 2013. Retrieved 8 October 2012.
  24. ^ "The Official UK Albums Chart Update". 30 January 2013.
  25. ^ a b "Funeral for a Friend Artist Official Charts". Official Charts Company. Archived from the original on 13 March 2013. Retrieved 5 February 2013.
  26. ^ a b "Conduit Reviews, Ratings, Credits, and More". Metacritic. Retrieved 13 February 2013.
  27. ^ Ray Van Horn Jr. (n.d.). "FUNERAL FOR A FRIEND Conduit (The End)". Blabbermouth.net. Retrieved 18 February 2013.
  28. ^ Amy Gravelle (28 January 2013). "Funeral for a Friend – Conduit (Distiller) 'If you're a Funeral fan, then you're in for one hell of a treat'". Gig Wise. Retrieved 5 February 2013.
  29. ^ Dom Lawson (24 January 2013). "Funeral for a Friend: Conduit – review (Distiller)". The Guardian. Retrieved 5 February 2013.
  30. ^ Louis Pattison (24 January 2013). "Funeral for a Friend – 'Conduit' The Bridgend quintet revisit their thrashy roots". NME. Retrieved 5 February 2013.
  31. ^ Mike Stagno (28 January 2013). "Review: Funeral for a Friend – Conduit 'A step down, but still solid.'". Sputnikmusic. Retrieved 5 February 2013.
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