Funeral Oration - "Sursum Luna", 1996

Funeral Oration's first full-length record is a relatively overlooked gem from the Italian extreme metal underground of the 90s; released under the aegis of then-cult label Avantgarde Music in an elegant digipack, featuring carefully selected pictures and graphics to complement the album's concept, it has never been reissued after the first press sold out. It's a real pity, since it's undoubtedly a cornerstone of 90s Italian metal and an outstanding black metal album in its own right.

The distinctive trait of "Sursum Luna" is that it blurs the lines between black, death, and extreme thrash metal in a rather original way; made up of songs written within the span of the first half of the 90s—including some reworked tracks from the band's past demos—the album revolves around the intricate guitar riffing by Luca La Cara, and the elaborated song structures continuously alternate between furious fast parts, morbid slowdowns, and epic double kick-laden sections. The old-school metal approach could draw comparisons to the busiest riffs by Absu (the "The Sun of Tiphareth" through "Tara" albums), for instance, on the ferocious "Me a Morte Libera Domine," although La Cara's guitar style often goes on more melodic tangents, and it possesses a peculiar dramatic, urgent feel that reveals the Mediterranean origins of the band. 

The album's baroque, archaic atmosphere also seems to complement the lyrical concepts well, revolving around blasphemous themes and strongly anti-Christian, paganism-inspired subjects, often resorting to Latin language to emphasize the feeling of listening to ancient and long-forgotten dark tales. The subtle use of keyboards, occasionally appearing in the background of the more evocative riffs, seems to have been employed to accentuate the medieval, ceremonial aura of the songs, summoning images of a witches' sabbath. The album could have done without the five piano intermezzos (plus a finale), though, since it's just a bunch of short midi-programmed classical pieces that frankly disrupt the flow of the record and its diabolic atmosphere. Although easily skippable, they seem unnecessary, and placed there merely to pad the album's running time. 

Singer Nick Curri, a staple of the underground Italian scene, offers a varied and driven performance that oozes insanity, conveying a frightening realism even to the most over-the-top lyrics, such as "Pregnant Whore"; switching back and forth between vitriolic screams, sorrow-filled laments, and a recitative delivery, he perfectly incarnates the concept of each song, coming across as a truly manic and convincing singer. 

The band in general is technically proficient and certainly above average for the time, and the essential, strictly analog production sounds akin to a live-in-studio recording, highlighting the natural sound of the drums; the snare sound, in particular, proves that drummer Rodolfo was a hard-hitter, as clearly audible in the slower and groovier passages, such as in the beginning of both "Pregnant Whore" and "The Age of Apotheosis." For once, also, the bass can be heard quite well in the mix, and Fabban (of Aborym fame) offers a solid backbone to the frantic, intricate guitar riffing. Luca La Cara really shines on "Sursum Luna," showcasing a personal guitar style that draws from the extreme metal school of the 80s and early 90s but enriches it with a strong sense for wicked melodies and unconventional structures; his tremolo-picking riffs often evolve into unpredictable fugues that make them rather unique, with morbid melodies that range from tragic to diabolic, from fierce to epic. 

The band's songwriting is equally creative, encompassing different shades of black, often catching the listener off guard with its sudden tempo switches or atmospheric breaks. A song like "Me a Morte Libera Domine" is a perfect example of the band's versatility, alternating scorching thrash/black riffs with groovy breakdowns and a clean, arpeggiated section in the middle that, paired with Curri's tormented vocals, gets absolutely chilling. The same could be said for the title track, "Pregnant Whore" or "Pagan Joy," but in general, there's really not a single dud on the album, and the actual 7 songs (without all the instrumentals) are top-notch material that oozes personality and attitude. 

"Sursum Luna" easily ranks among my favorite 10 Italian black metal records ever, and it's an unsung classic that more people outside of Italy should know about. The band split up shortly after its release, making it an instant cult album. Funeral Oration reunited in 2017 with its core lineup of Curri and La Cara and released a couple of new records, but as is often the case with these unexpected comebacks, the band couldn't replicate the magic of its 1996 debut.

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