by Erick Pressman

Spring has sprung, gas prices have risen, the Giants are played their opening series, and one of California’s brutal, up and coming black metal bands, The Funeral Pyre, are completing their US tour at the Submission Space on Sunday night. With band members hailing from both the greater Los Angeles area as well as San Ramon, The Funeral Pyre kicked off this US tour with Italian heavyweights who recently signed to the almighy Southern Lord Records, The Secret, and saw them hit most of the US including a couple of big time South By Southwest showcases featuring Trash Talk, All Pigs Must Die, and Kylesa, as well as a one off show in Cleveland with uber-hyped grinders Masakari.

From what I could tell from their Twitter and Facebook updates, The Funeral Pyre made sure that they drank all the bar tabs they were allotted, and turned all sorts of heads with the unique blend of black metal that falls somewhere between the ultra lo-fi first wave black metal bands like Mayhem or Burzum, and the over the top produced Hot Topic tee shirt selling black metal bands like Cradle of Filth or Dimmu Borgir. One of the most impressive aspects of their latest record, Vultures At Dawn, which saw a release through Prosthetic Records in 2010, is that they manage to stay true to they all out raw, abrasive, discordant guitar sounds often associated with black metal, but manage to keep away from the more en vogue, hipster black metal outfits like Nachtmystium or Kralice. Live the band delivers everything on the record, but with the intensity turned all the way up to eleven, and have a take no shit or prisoners attitude onstage.

One of the best parts for a touring band is a strong final night of the tour, so head out to the Mission, grab a burrito, and head into the Submission Space around 9 p.m. and catch one of California’s most promise metal acts as they wrap up a successful US tour. If the Giants keep playing the way they do, it would probably do us all a favor to have our ears blasted out by heavy drums and chaotic guitars. Don’t sleep on The Funeral Pyre, because you’ll be hearing a lot more about them as 2011 rolls on.