Funeral Fires is a new band w/ mems of Gatherers, Coarse & more (hear their debut single)

Karma Oak

Funeral Fires is a new band with some familiar faces -- drummer Adam Cichocki (Gatherers), bassist Brandon Gallagher (Coarse, Trace Amount), guitarist Matt Popowski (Tidal Gloom, ex-Gatherers), and vocalist Kyle Galloway (ex-Lakota De Kai, Kingmaker) -- and they're gearing up to release their debut album BLOOD OF THE RAT$ on August 28. The band's bio reads:

After an initial idea was discussed on an Old Wounds, Gatherers tour in 2016 to The Fest, Adam Cichocki, Brandon Gallagher, and Matt Popowski began working on a record that sounded like The Blood Brothers and The Jonbenet. After numerous attempts to fill out the line up of the band, they linked up with Kyle Galloway to complete the record. Blending tongue and cheek guitar riffs and clever lyrics amidst crushing drums and funky low end, Funeral Fires takes elements of Three One G’s first wave of “annoying” punk, with the white belt glam of early 2000’s post-hardcore, and samples in vein of all of the bands associated with the project. Years after the initial demos were tracked, the quartet will release their debut record, BLOOD OF THE RAT$, on August 28th, 2020. The album was recorded, mixed and mastered by Adam Cichocki at Timber Studios.

Brandon Gallagher adds over email, "It's surreal to see this record finally come together. We came up with the idea in 2016 and had so many phases of the band before we even released anything. I played bass on these songs, first time I ever played a stringed instrument on a record. Adam and Matt just had insane chemistry writing these songs and I just riffed along as best as I could." And Kyle Galloway adds, "This is the second project I’ve been a part of where all my bandmates live hundreds of miles away from me. I can honestly say it’s been easier than being in a band where my mates live in the same town. The distance from my mates isn’t ideal but my level of stress couldn’t be lower." And in addition to the aforementioned Blood Brothers and Jonbenet, the band cite Heavy Heavy Low Low, The Chariot, Fear Before the March of Flames, and Some Girls as influences as well.

We're premiering the band's debut single and its video, "Party Puke," and you can very much hear the influences that the members speak of on this song. It falls somewhere between screamo, metalcore, and early 2000s post-hardcore, but it's more than just an homage to the bands they grew up listening to. Funeral Fires put a new spin on it, and if you're looking for a fresh update on that sound, you should definitely give "Party Puke" a spin. Check it out below.

In related news, Gatherers recently made us a list of music that inspired their upcoming album for No Sleep, and so far they've released two new songs from that album.

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