Review Summary: Frustratingly monotonous on one hand and refreshingly open on another, Funeral Moth's second full-length showcases a different (though imperfect) take on funeral doom.
The output of bands such as Bell Witch and more recently Lycus shows the ever increasing focus on density that funeral doom is subject to. While never being a particularly accessible offshoot of metal, improved production techniques and the ever-trudging path of 'progression' means that bands seem to be getting more and more impenetrable in recent years. Possibly as a counterpoint, Osaka-based Funeral Moth opt to create their atmosphere not by hiding behind a wall of distortion, but by establishing a melancholic ambience with plaintive riffs and leads (all progressing at the speed of flowing tar, naturally). The odd pang of dissonance stands out every now and then, and combined with their penchant for jarring time signatures provides some colour to
Transience's otherwise stark atmosphere. Makoto Fujishima's growl is in adherance with most funeral doom artists, but has an intelligiblity absent from many in the genre - apparent when comparing the two tracks, one being in Japanese and the other English.
Sadly, this alternative approach comes with its own set of flaws, arguably more damning than those of its more 'typical' contemporaries. While every single part of
Transience is individually stunning, most of the segments that make up a track far outstay their welcome. Being largely instrumental, without the genre's conventional intensity Funeral Moth needed to have displayed ample variety within their riffs to prevent stagnation. However,
Transience's eponymous opener only contains 6, at a push 7 repeated passages across its 22 minute run time, and while the melancholic impact is not
entirely lost, one starts to phase out far too often between transitions. In fairness, 'Lost' fares somewhat better, with a heightened emphasis on vocals and even rare displays of liveliness pushing it forward as the clearly superior track. Unfortunately, despite the improvement shown as the album progresses, one in two is not a promising ratio over nearly 40 minutes.
Transience is a particularly frustrating release, as it feels like a missed opportunity. Despite obviously harbouring some neat ideas and a different, albeit not revolutionary take on funeral doom, their apparent unwillingness to pare down the extraneous means that it drags, losing the listener's interest time and time again. If Funeral Moth can build upon the fluidity apparent on 'Lost', then they can maybe give some breathing space back to an otherwise suffocating genre with their next release.
