Funeral for a Friend

Already the poster child for UK screamo, Funeral For A Friend are bringing their unique hardcore with a heart to North America. Seven Ways To Scream Your Name is a reissue of two EPs only released in the UK. What makes this band different than all the other black-haired, white-belted bands in the same genre is their ability to combine metal riffs and dark emo lyrics without sounding forced. Matt Davies’s poppy vocal melodies on "Getaway Plan” sound like Long Islanders Taking Back Sunday or the Movielife. The Deftones-fuzz of opening track "Amsterdam Conversations” are matched with punky riffs that sting like Thrice’s metal-infused punk. But comparisons aside, this band is pretty original in coming up with unique ways of having guitars play against each other in metal riff showdowns and letting Davies’s charismatic voice shine in each track. Yes, this is as good as they’re making it out to be.