Artist: Funeral Vultures
Country: Brazil
Label: Moon Rites Productions / Reliquaire Hérétique
Formats: Demo Tape
Year: 2026
‘Dread Cenotaph’ is the first release for this one-man Black Metal from Brazil, but while it was first distributed digitally through Moon Rites Productions, it was quickly picked up for a physical release by the local dealer of death and destruction Reliquaire Hérétique. And that was probably a smart move, as this debut demo certainly has something to offer.
It’s a stroke of luck, as if the devil were playing his part, but if you release your debut demo on a label with a French name and have built your musical identity entirely around the French Black Metal scene of the mid-to-late 90s, then you know you’re on the right track. The band’s Bandcamp page mentions the musician’s adoration for the bands who were part of the Les Légions Noires clique, and to further strengthen this statement, the closing track of ‘Dread Cenotaph’ is a Mütiilation cover.
But however much it may echo the French, Funeral Vultures is certainly no mere copy. Overall, the riffs are a fair bit heavier and feature much more prominently in the mix than anything the average Les Légions Noires band has ever produced. On the other hand, ‘Dread Cenotaph’ sounds a lot less unlistenable than what those daft French blokes came up with. In fact, what Funeral Vultures present here is exactly the middle ground: it’s slightly more musical and, whilst still well and truly within the bounds of Raw Black Metal, it’s clearly less rough around the edges. What firmly anchors Funeral Vultures within this Black Metal tradition is the overall atmosphere, which gives the vocals in particular ample opportunity to steal the show. The repetitive riffs and staccato drums provide a solid, icy foundation for the pillars that uphold this type of music: atmosphere and authenticity.
This for sure is a more than solid first release for Funeral Vultures, although I don’t believe this is the anonymous musician’s first project. It’s simply too well put together for that, and the concept seems too well thought out. However, in this case, the mystique that comes with it actually supports and amplifies the entire experience.
