Funeral Fullmoon / Nocturnal Prayer – Disciples Of The Moonlight Worship [Split]

Not too long after the band’s second full-length album, Chilean Funeral Fullmoon returns with some new work. Despite not having expected new material so soon, I welcomed it with all eagerness, as ‘Unholy Kingdom Of Diabolic Emperors’ not only showcased the best of this Chilean duo, but at the same time was allowed to pass as a showcase of the particularly high-quality Chilean Black Metal scene. This time, Funeral Fullmoon will not be releasing a new album, but instead will release a number of new tracks on a split LP it shares with Canada’s Nocturnal Prayer. A band that also started in 2019 has and equally vibrant discography. Surely, this seems like a collaboration that can’t go wrong.

The Chileans kick things off, the three tracks plus Emperor cover bringing us Black Metal in the direct extension of what we’ve heard from the band before. Good, raw but thoroughly atmospheric Black Metal that leans not on thick layers of keyboards, but on meticulously created riffs and a matching dank production. The result is truly mesmerising and hypnotic Black Metal that can proudly wear the Chilean Black Metal-label (or South American, if you want to draw it broader) without fail. That the band chose ‘Lord Of The Storms’ from Emperor’s first demo from 1992, ‘Wrath Of The Tyrant’, is therefore not surprising. On those first steps of the Norwegian giant, it also did not yet have the grandiose sound stuffed full of keyboards and still got its strength purely through riffs. A perfectly adequate and very appropriate choice.

The ‘Lord Of The Storms’ cover of Funeral Fullmoon is not only a perfect choice that fits seamlessly with their current sound, it also proves to be an excellent switch to Nocturnal Prayer’s songs. These have a slightly more punky feel and have a less suppressed production in terms of sound and feel. This is where we immediately catch the essence of this Canadian band, the musical approach is a simple one in which repeating melodies and a sharp tone are the biggest ear-catchers. Compared to the earlier material, no great strides have been made in terms of musical progression or adventurous broadening, instead Murder (the only soul in the band) seems content with the current point reached. And that is comprehensible, after all, the songs sound just fine and his approach is effective. However, it must be said that after the Chilean’s thoroughly splendid material, Nocturnal Prayer’s work comes across as a bit simple and flat, something largely due to the lack of a (similar) atmosphere like that of Funeral Fullmoon. However, a song like ‘My Kingdom Of Darkness’ definitely goes down like hotcakes.