Funeral for a Friend

這邊廂的美國(guó)樂(lè)隊(duì)帶著一身入型入格英倫New Wave／Post-Punk熏陶而來(lái)，而另一邊廂亦倒有不少英倫樂(lè)隊(duì)以大搖大滾的美式搖滾風(fēng)骨在祖家殺出新血路。
 
像來(lái)自南威爾斯的Funeral For A Friend，自出道以來(lái)便被視為英倫方面對(duì)美國(guó)Emo體系的響應(yīng)，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(lái)龍去脈，那定可瞞騙你Funeral For A Friend是一支亞美利堅(jiān)搖滾樂(lè)團(tuán)。
 
回到2003年，除了The Darkness之外，F(xiàn)uneral For A Friend便是當(dāng)年另一最鋒芒畢露的英國(guó)新晉搖滾樂(lè)團(tuán)。大抵群眾已厭倦了那一眾感性結(jié)他樂(lè)隊(duì)，像他們這樣高舉搖滾旗幟的隊(duì)伍，卻成為了音樂(lè)市場(chǎng)上的一大沖擊。結(jié)果Funeral For A Friend在當(dāng)年發(fā)表的首張專輯Causally Dressed & Deep In Conversation，在英國(guó)迄今已達(dá)超過(guò)十萬(wàn)張的銷(xiāo)量，算是旗開(kāi)得勝。
 
十八個(gè)月后帶來(lái)樂(lè)隊(duì)的第二擊Hours，這次明顯看到Funeral For A Friend立心要瞄準(zhǔn)龐大的美國(guó)市場(chǎng)進(jìn)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(zhēng)的事實(shí)。這隊(duì)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(lè)團(tuán)在2002年初才成軍，但一年后已被主流唱片集團(tuán)Warner Music羅致──在此之前他們只有在02年中于獨(dú)立廠牌Mighty Atom Records推出過(guò)一張Between Order And Model EP而已，即成為業(yè)界的刮角對(duì)象。
 
英國(guó)音樂(lè)傳媒與群眾對(duì)Funeral For A Friend趨之若鶩，彷佛是看到一隊(duì)本土Emo樂(lè)隊(duì)的衍生而鼎力支持。當(dāng)然，他們?cè)谝魳?lè)上并非有何獨(dú)特之處，但卻反映到英國(guó)樂(lè)迷其實(shí)很需要這種具有爆炸力的大搖大滾聲音。
 
然而對(duì)于Funeral For A Friend來(lái)說(shuō)，讓他們最歡喜若狂是可以隨同他們心儀己久英國(guó)殿堂級(jí)Heavy Metal班霸Iron Maiden（曾見(jiàn)過(guò)Kris身穿其T恤）舉行歐洲巡回演出擔(dān)任暖場(chǎng)樂(lè)隊(duì)。
 
堅(jiān)過(guò)美利堅(jiān)?
 
在英國(guó)踏出成功的一步，F(xiàn)uneral For A Friend的目標(biāo)，是要入侵美國(guó)市場(chǎng)，甚至不惜放下英國(guó)樂(lè)隊(duì)的身段，實(shí)行要跟眾美國(guó)大軍同聲同氣。
 
所以Hours不但在這年1月至3月間遠(yuǎn)赴西雅圖灌錄，而為他們擔(dān)綱監(jiān)制的Terry Date又曾跟Soundgarden、Pantera、Deftones和Limp Bizkit合作過(guò)。當(dāng)年Funeral For A Friend本屬英國(guó)Warner Music的Indie音樂(lè)支部Infections Records，現(xiàn)在亦已「過(guò)戶」到歷史悠久的Atlantic Records，那實(shí)行要讓他走向國(guó)際級(jí)的層次。
 
感覺(jué)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(tīng)來(lái)更像一支搖滾樂(lè)團(tuán)。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(tīng)到跟Iron Maiden上路后對(duì)他們留下的熏陶。
 
要?jiǎng)側(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(lè)已愈來(lái)愈正路。Drive宛如Red Hot Chili Peppers的Mellow曲目，美妙的History在末段更獻(xiàn)上大合唱的場(chǎng)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(guó)巡回演出的他們，此曲大抵正流露出Linkin Park對(duì)樂(lè)隊(duì)的影響。
 
前作Causally Dressed & Deep In Conversation的封面玩耐人尋味（一對(duì)背靠背的蒙頭男女），今次Hours則玩學(xué)生妹（此女生在封套內(nèi)還一人分飾多角色玩盡不同時(shí)代學(xué)生Look），似乎Funeral For A Friend一心要主打年輕人市場(chǎng)。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(guó)的Emo樂(lè)隊(duì)有如恒河沙數(shù)，當(dāng)?shù)厝罕娪挚蓵?huì)受落這隊(duì)「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.