Strong debut for the Italian funk/metallers
Aptly named Italian rockers What A Funk have crafted a strong debut with their self titled album. Their metal/grunge/funk blend is perfectly balanced and offers a set of songs to make you want to groove.
Tracks range from the riff heavy opener 'Keep The Fade' to the almost pure funk of 'Fist o Funk' where the slap bass is sheer perfection, compelling you to give in to the rhthyms.
'Empty State of Gold' is fast paced with rolling beats, throwing the focus on to frontman and guitarist, Drugmeister's vocals. His voice flows with hints of grunge and rap influences blending in to the funk style. Their first single 'Trash Crash Planet' starts with a scream before showing off some of the smoothest vocals on the album and is followed closely by rougher harsher vocals blended with wailing guitar melodies on 'Sweet Home'.
Soft quiet and calming track 7 'Flush' provides a lull in the high energy. Drugmeister using the ballad to show just how soft and silky his voice can be. With a break from their frenetic funk, this one is an epic with soaring melodies, hidden depths and passionate lyrics.
These Italians are funk rock through and through. Drawing on influences from an array of rock genres, electro, grunge and metal they've blended the lot into a style to suit themselves and the result is a set of heavy grooving tracks.
This is a strong debut with only one exception. Final track 'What A Dude' begins with the refrain "what the funk is the name of my band" and continues on with weak lyrics and passable beats. It is an anomaly seeming amateurish among a set of tracks that indicate What A Funk is a highly talented band.
Otherwise, the album is groovalicious heavy funk metal and a very strong debut for What A Funk.
You can view the video for 'Trash Crash Planet' here