Funeral for a Friend

這邊廂的美國樂隊帶著一身入型入格英倫New Wave／Post-Punk熏陶而來，而另一邊廂亦倒有不少英倫樂隊以大搖大滾的美式搖滾風骨在祖家殺出新血路。
 
像來自南威爾斯的Funeral For A Friend，自出道以來便被視為英倫方面對美國Emo體系的響應，甚至從他們身上所彰顯出的巨大Metal音量、Post-Hardcore的暴烈綻放、Power-Pop的流暢調(diào)子，要是不知他們的來龍去脈，那定可瞞騙你Funeral For A Friend是一支亞美利堅搖滾樂團。
 
回到2003年，除了The Darkness之外，F(xiàn)uneral For A Friend便是當年另一最鋒芒畢露的英國新晉搖滾樂團。大抵群眾已厭倦了那一眾感性結(jié)他樂隊，像他們這樣高舉搖滾旗幟的隊伍，卻成為了音樂市場上的一大沖擊。結(jié)果Funeral For A Friend在當年發(fā)表的首張專輯Causally Dressed & Deep In Conversation，在英國迄今已達超過十萬張的銷量，算是旗開得勝。
 
十八個月后帶來樂隊的第二擊Hours，這次明顯看到Funeral For A Friend立心要瞄準龐大的美國市場進發(fā)。
 
與IRON MAIDEN上路
 
兩年前，F(xiàn)uneral For A Friend以平地一聲雷的姿態(tài)火速崛起，那倒是不爭的事實。這隊由歌手Matt Davies、兩名結(jié)他手Kris Coombs-Roberts和Darren Smith、低音結(jié)他手Gareth Davies以及鼓手Ryan Richards所構(gòu)成的威爾斯樂團在2002年初才成軍，但一年后已被主流唱片集團Warner Music羅致──在此之前他們只有在02年中于獨立廠牌Mighty Atom Records推出過一張Between Order And Model EP而已，即成為業(yè)界的刮角對象。
 
英國音樂傳媒與群眾對Funeral For A Friend趨之若鶩，彷佛是看到一隊本土Emo樂隊的衍生而鼎力支持。當然，他們在音樂上并非有何獨特之處，但卻反映到英國樂迷其實很需要這種具有爆炸力的大搖大滾聲音。
 
然而對于Funeral For A Friend來說，讓他們最歡喜若狂是可以隨同他們心儀己久英國殿堂級Heavy Metal班霸Iron Maiden（曾見過Kris身穿其T恤）舉行歐洲巡回演出擔任暖場樂隊。
 
堅過美利堅?
 
在英國踏出成功的一步，F(xiàn)uneral For A Friend的目標，是要入侵美國市場，甚至不惜放下英國樂隊的身段，實行要跟眾美國大軍同聲同氣。
 
所以Hours不但在這年1月至3月間遠赴西雅圖灌錄，而為他們擔綱監(jiān)制的Terry Date又曾跟Soundgarden、Pantera、Deftones和Limp Bizkit合作過。當年Funeral For A Friend本屬英國Warner Music的Indie音樂支部Infections Records，現(xiàn)在亦已「過戶」到歷史悠久的Atlantic Records，那實行要讓他走向國際級的層次。
 
感覺上， Hours里的作品已收斂了源自Emo／Post-Hardcore的暴烈綻放，反之歌曲乃更著重旋律，讓他們聽來更像一支搖滾樂團。由電話聲帶出的先行單曲Streetcar那剛勁Power-Pop曲式配以連珠爆發(fā)的Double Bass Drum，有著流暢曲調(diào)之余也不失其爆炸力。但Funeral For A Friend似乎更想表現(xiàn)出他們硬搖滾的一面，像Drive和Nothing都充塞著鋪天蓋地的八十年代式巨大Metal結(jié)他Riff（后者更施展了Matt的「嘔泥腔」），不難聽到跟Iron Maiden上路后對他們留下的熏陶。
 
要剛?cè)岵⒅兀?Hospitality、Drive和History等中板Rock Ballad自然不可缺，以展示其作曲才華，似乎Funeral For A Friend的音樂已愈來愈正路。Drive宛如Red Hot Chili Peppers的Mellow曲目，美妙的History在末段更獻上大合唱的場面。低回闇黑的Sonny由電子節(jié)拍帶出，但看不出有何電音熏陶，反之曾跟Linkin Park舉行美國巡回演出的他們，此曲大抵正流露出Linkin Park對樂隊的影響。
 
前作Causally Dressed & Deep In Conversation的封面玩耐人尋味（一對背靠背的蒙頭男女），今次Hours則玩學生妹（此女生在封套內(nèi)還一人分飾多角色玩盡不同時代學生Look），似乎Funeral For A Friend一心要主打年輕人市場。似乎他們的歌曲能出現(xiàn)在荷李活青春電影的原聲專輯內(nèi)也是遲早的事。
 
然而美國的Emo樂隊有如恒河沙數(shù)，當?shù)厝罕娪挚蓵苈溥@隊「外勞」嗎？
 
Welsh quintet Funeral for a Friend featured vocalist Matt Davies, guitarists Kris Roberts and Darran Smith, bassist Gareth Davies, and drummer Randy Richards. The quintet's energized blend of emo, metal, and post-hardcore first appeared in 2002 with a series of EPs and singles, including Between Order and Model, Four Ways to Scream Your Name, and &Juneau.& The releases wound up landing them on the cover of Kerrang! magazine, instant hype that paid off in the shape of a record deal with Warner Music. Funeral for a Friend's debut full-length, Casually Dressed & Deep in Conversation, was issued in October 2003. It was not given a concurrent U.S. release; instead, the seven-track mini-CD Seven Ways to Scream Your Name (collecting non-album tracks from the earlier EPs) appeared domestically via the New Jersey indie Ferret. Meanwhile, Funeral for a Friend embarked on a series of high-profile touring engagements, including a series of European dates opening for Iron Maiden. Touring continued through summer 2004. The Spilling Blood in 8mm DVD appeared in September with live footage, videos, and a band documentary. Funeral for a Friend returned in June 2005 with Hours, their second full-length; more touring followed, including the band's first stint on the Warped Tour. The guys also picked up that year's Kerrang! award for Best British Band. Back at home by the end of 2005, Matt Davies used some downtime from touring to work on material for his first side project, the alt-country-inspired the Secret Show, whose debut album was released in February 2007. Three months later, Funeral for a Friend issued their next album, Tales Don't Tell Themselves, subsequently jumping on the road for headlining dates in the U.K. and U.S. before spending summer on the Warped Tour.