Funhouse

With their fourth regular full-length release Swedisch Gothic Rock’n’Rollers FUNHOUSE try to strike new tunes. The Flames Of Love is a down to earth guitar oriented album that is depressively melancholic from previous releases. After a certain period of silence (perhaps also caused by the last output Oceans Of Tears, that could not convince me) the band is back, trying to tie up to the success of their mesmerizing masterpiece Never Again (one of my all-time faves). Responsible for the new sound seems obvious from new key wiz entrant Dennis Berggren, who also has co-produced this record. Peter Mårdklint (git. - who is not unknown to the scene, since he already played in Dimmu Borgir-like symphonic Black Metal band Embraced) joined forces with 4-stringer Måns Tomsby and the drummer, who just returned to the band’s fold, to give a new drive into the band’s individual sound.
As The Flames Of Love knows how to convince with promising songs such as the opener Care For You or I Feel Joy and I Cry For Love. With subsequent song So Cold Without You the band falls back in old Never Again trademarks, significantly used on Everything’s Gone and Heart Speeding. Just closer Oceans Of Tears goes back to the new path, the band started with at the beginning. Ok, that means that FUNHOUSE have to put up with the fact, that everybody will compare The Flames Of Love with Never Again, although with the modern new sound as well as rank and spirit this new one can’t compare. Lyrical content is simplistic for which it is sort of a bummer. To say the least music is expressively striking.
Those of you who don’t know the masterpiece Never Again but like music in the veins of The Mission and The Cult won’t do any mistake by purchasing The Flames Of Love. I finally want to see the band live on stage!!! And things work out well … shows are planned in April ;)