Emanating from the vibrant gloom of Jersey City, New Jersey, Neon Funeral is an ensemble that has finely blended Darkwave and post-punk instrumentals with the ferocity of hardcore screamo/metal vocals, akin to an angst-infused communion between Ian Curtis and Frankie Palmeri of Emmure. The result is a soundscape that resonates with Pornography-era Robert Smith if he were possessed by the demon Pazuzu, with the jangly resonance of Smiths-era Johnny Marr’s guitars. With a history of stirring performances at notable venues like QXT’s in Newark, NJ, St. Vitus in Brooklyn, and Lucky 13 in Brooklyn, they’ve etched a mark in the North East Corridor alternative scene.
Their latest musical endeavor, an EP eloquently titled Banned From the Goth Club, is set to grace the digital shelves of Cleopatra Records on November 8th, aligning Neon Funeral with eminent names like Danzig, Christian Death, Skinny Puppy, and Gary Numan. The EP’s inception can be traced back to a cover song recorded and released for Cleopatra Records in 2021, which then catalyzed the creation of an original song. The conceptual thread of having a more cohesive body of work rather than a string of singles led them back to Timber Studios in Bayonne New Jersey, their creative haven, to craft two more tracks under the aegis of Adam Cichocki of Gatherers, a signee of Equal Vision and No Sleep Records.
The EP’s title track, Avolition, showcases a pulsating, dance-driven melody that is likely to lure listeners to the dance floor. The song encapsulates the essence of Neon Funeral’s ability to interlace dark, atmospheric tunes with an invigorating rhythm.
An artistic visual narrative accompanies “Avolition” as it finds a visual home in a local vintage arcade and bar, a setting that impeccably mirrors Neon Funeral’s aesthetic. With the bar owner’s green light, an entire morning and afternoon were dedicated to capturing the song’s essence on film. The collaborative efforts of videographer Jarrett Allen, editor Ray Morales Jr, gaffer Huttemberg Nassar, and grip/AC by Cole Brui birthed a visual piece that is as enigmatic as the song it represents.
Watch the video for “Avolition” below:
With a narrative that explores varying emotional undertones, Banned From the Goth Club ventures from the upbeat cadence of “Avolition” to the somber yet intense electronic-metal fusion in “High Tech Low Life,” leading to the introspective depths of “A Void” that reflects on nihilism, drug addiction, and societal pressures. The EP is rounded off with an 80s cover of “Party All the Time,” originally by Eddie Murphy and Rick James, bringing with it silky smooth nostalgia laced with a razor-sharp edge.
On the EP’s intriguing title, the band explains:
“The name of the EP “Banned From the Goth Club” was given because of the oxymoron and difficulty of finding our audience given our contradictory sound. The goth audience can’t exactly get fully immersed into the music because of the aggression and intensity of the vocals and the hardcore scene can’t exactly understand the softer and dance-driven instrumentals for moshing. We once performed at a goth venue and seemed out of place and out of touch with the audience. We then coined the phrase Banned From the Goth Club to introduce the sound playfully and almost welcomely.”
The full EP will be unleashed on November 8th, promising a realm of dark, yet danceable tunes for the alternative scene. Meanwhile, delve deeper into Neon Funeral’s sonic world here.
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