Having recently announced the forthcoming release of the sixth studio album of their formidable career, Funeral For A Friend have now unveiled the first single to be taken from ‘Conduit’. The track, ‘Best Friends And Hospital Beds’, revolves around themes of friendship and death with the accompanying music video set in a bleak and derelict landscape. The single will be released on 12th November following the band’s appearance at the now sold out Vans Warped Tour UK date at London’s Alexandra Palace on 10th November. As ever, Funeral For A friend remain dedicated to playing live shows on a level that will continually connect with their loyal fans and so have announced an extensive 23 date run of intimate shows across the UK and Ireland in support of ‘Conduit’ for the new year. Tour tickets will also be available for pre-order this Friday and will be on general sale on Monday 15th October from all the usual ticketing outlets.
‘Conduit’ will be available for pre-order this Friday 12th October. All pre-orders of the album will include an exclusive live CD of the band’s 2011 headline performance at the Roundhouse which you won’t be able to get anywhere else. The album will be available on CD, digital, 12” (including download link) and a special boxset including a signed poster, t-shirt, exclusive hand written making of booklet and cassette.
Funeral For A Friend’s ‘Conduit’ is the follow-up to 2011’s critically acclaimed ‘Welcome Home Armageddon’, an album which saw the band approach their music with renewed vigour following the addition of new members Gavin Burrough and Richard Boucher. ‘Conduit’ also features the addition of drummer Pat Lundy (previously of Rise To Remain) following long-time drummer/vocalist Ryan Richards’ departure earlier this year. Of Lundy’s addition to the line-up and his contribution to this album, vocalist Matthew Davies-Kreye says “I think Pat's been the missing piece of the puzzle for us, his attitude and love of playing really brought a new level of excitement to the band. His playing live and on this record really adds a sense of power that we've never had. It became apparent that our relationship with each other was the strongest we've had in this band since the very first few releases and we knew that was special. We were all pulling for the same thing and we didn't care what anyone else felt outside of the five of us.”
Davies-Kreye also used the change in line-up as an opportunity to explore his vocal style - “I didn't want us to hold back and I really didn't want to hold myself back in terms of the vocals. I knew I had to just go for it and try to go for something that was as pure as possible without trying to pretend that I'm filling in for Ryan's screaming parts. I had to do these songs my own way. That was a big deal to me.” The band was on a role in terms of how in tune they were with each other, even down to track running order and artwork ideas. Matt was sat at home replying to some people on Facebook when he came across artist Snowskull's page. The fact that it’s Matthew Evans who actually used to be in FFAF right when they started out, made the aesthetic even more appealing to Matt he says – “I called Kris and explained my idea and he felt the same way. Everyone did actually. It was really clear that this was perfect for the record. Kris had seen the piece we are using for the cover art and explained how he felt that worked with the album title and we all got it and thought it was perfect.”
‘Conduit’ is a tightly wound collection of tracks, again produced with Romesh Dodangoda, bursting with emotion and personal conflict but also full of commentary on the inner workings and experiences of an established band. It’s the sound of a band growing and progressing both as a unit and individually. ‘Nails’ is about stepping up to your responsibilities, ‘Spine’ handles the issue of intense pressure and overcoming tough obstacles in your life to achieve a sense of personal fulfillment, hope and love. The title track itself is about, as Davies-Kreye puts it, “the transcendental act of performing to an audience. It's a major component of what this band is about and even though in the confines of a room, even though we've never met there's this bond between us and the people through the music.”
The tracklisting for ‘Conduit’ is as follows –
1. Spine
2. Conduit
3. The Distance
4. Best Friends And Hospital Beds
5. Nails
6. Death Comes To Us All
7. Travelled
8. Grey
9. Sun-Less
10. Elements
11. High Castles
2013 tour dates –
Wed 23 Jan Belfast Limelight
Thu 24 Jan Derry Nerve Centre
Fri 25 Jan Cork Cypress Avenue
Sat 26 Jan Dublin Fibber Magees
Mon 28 Jan Cardiff Clwb Ifor Bach
Tue 29 Jan Bristol The Fleece
Wed 30 Jan Plymouth White Rabbit
Thu 31 Jan Exeter Cavern
Sat 02 Feb Bournemouth Sound Circus
Sun 03 Feb Portsmouth Wedgewood Rooms
Mon 04 Feb Brighton The Haunt
Wed 06 Feb Margate Westcoast Bar
Thu 07 Feb Cambridge The Junction
Fri 08 Feb Nottingham Rescue Rooms
Sat 09 Feb Norwich Waterfront
Mon 11 Feb York The Duchess
Tue 12 Feb Leeds Cockpit
Wed 13 Feb Glasgow King Tuts
Thu 14 Feb Newcastle Academy 2
Sat 16 Feb Manchester Moho Live
Sun 17 Feb Stoke Sugarmill
Mon 18 Feb London Garage
Tue 19 Feb Birmingham Asylum
