Originally Posted on Dec.8th, 2023
Today I’m going to be telling you about our new Artist of the Week:
Goth Rock Band Funeral Haze
Here’s their story in their own words.
VMS: “When did you start performing (Your Backstory.)”
Mary: “So for me, personally I started performing many years ago as a kid. From age 10-21 I was primarily involved in musical theater and classical singing. I joined my first metal band at age 18 and since then I’ve had a long career in that scene. I’ve been signed to Century Media Records, Peaceville Records and I’ve released 3 albums with 3 different bands in Japan. I’m a vocal coach and YouTuber as well so I’ve been performing for many years.
My bandmates Jake, Thomas and Shannon all knew each other from a band they were in together here in Vegas in the past and they’re all excellent musicians who have a lot of experience. Perry, I met through mutual friend in the metal scene here in Vegas and he introduced me to Jake and the guys.
When I initially approached him about the idea I had in mind, Perry is much more of an extreme metal fan so I was stoked when I was able to talk him into doing this gothic band with me, haha.”
VMS: “What artist or bands inspire you and your sound.”
Mary: “So we are primarily a cover band at this point and the artists we cover span a pretty wide range of artists under the umbrella of gothic. From post-punk, rock, to metal and industrial/numetal. We don’t incorporate any sort of emo, however.
My goal with the band was to pay homage to the things I grew up with that set the sound scape for movies like The Craft, The Crow, Queen of The Damned, Blade etc. I wanted to create a soundscape in a set list that gave people the feeling of being in those cinematic worlds.
Of course, not everything is on a soundtrack, but we create a whole feel live. We play songs by The Cure, The Cult, Concrete Blonde, Peter Murphy and then heavier with Lacuna Coil, Orgy, NiN, Static X as well. (We’ve got hours of material so it’s a long set list haha).”
VMS: “Why did you choose dark goth / post punk? I absolutely love that sound, so I was curious why you chose these genres specifically.”
Mary: “So I’ve always been more of a “goth” kid at heart than a straight up metal kid. I grew up in a lot of this music and was in high school in the 90s so I was obsessed with movies like Scream and The Craft, etc, and heavily influenced by those.
I also was really influenced with european gothic metal in the early 2000s as well. I’ve always a deep love for post punk and synthwave/darkwave from very early on and I wanted to play and sing this repertoire that I absolutely love.
No one in Vegas was doing covers or repertoire like this and yet there is a very strong audience and scene here and so far it’s been the perfect place to do this project. We’ve been very supported here in Vegas by the alternative and gothic communities.”
Listen to Funeral Haze on Spotify:
VMS: “Do you have a favorite song you do live or a song in general that best represents you as a band.”
Mary: “I think my favorite song we do live is a cover of a cover which is Stabbing Westward’s version of Echo and the Bunnymen’s “Killing Moon”
I already wanted the band to do the original version of that song by Echo and the Bunnymen, but then my drummer Jake (who probably knows just as much, if not more, about this music as I do) pointed me to an absolutely killer cover EP Stabbing Westward released during the pandemic and I was floored.
They made an incredible arrangement and so I recreated the synths from their arrangement and that’s the version we do live and it’s absolutely epic. I recommend checking out their version on spotify it’s incredible.”
VMS: “What do you want your audience to feel and experience at one of your live shows.”
Mary: “So I definitely want to transport people into their favorite gothic or vampire movies but via a live band. It creates something special. I also love that here in Vegas an out of towner can stumble upon you and be amazed by this vibe and feel the band is creating even if they are unfamiliar with this kind of music. They get a taste of that adventure from a movie that their looking for. It feels like walking into a vampire club, and I love giving people a cinematic vibe via music. You’re curating an experience for them.”
VMS: “Which local artist would you like to work with and why.”
Mary: “For local artists I’ve definitely been trying to arrange a show with Von Boldt – we’ve been talking, but just haven’t been able to coordinate the right time yet. But they’re a cool rock act delivering halloweeny, danzig-esque vampire vibes and they’re a perfect fit to go along with what we do.”
VMS: “What’s your overall theme or message of your music. “
Mary: “Goth! Haha Dark vibes.”
VMS: “What does the future hold for Funeral Haze.”
Mary: “The future holds more shows! Possibly original music? But there’s been so much on everyone’s plate. We’ll see!.”
What I love about Funeral Haze is that not only do they take me back to that special place and time, back in my teens and twenties, when I was really getting into Punk, Goth and New wave. With bands like The Cure, Bauhaus and my Friend Zach introducing me to The Damned, now luckily apart of my life and my record collection.
There is something so special when you find new music and it takes you to this magical place of dark, romantic, and beautiful melancholy. Which Funeral Haze seamlessly does that in their live shows.
They take all the best songs of my life and put it into a one of a kind show, that can make you feel things you probably haven’t felt in years. With Mary’s haunting vocals, hypnotic guitar and drums, and overall beautifully bleak vibe of their songs, it makes for a night you will never forget.
For more information on Funeral Haze follow them on Instagram:
https://instagram.com/funeralhaze?igshid=OGQ5ZDc2ODk2ZA==
Thank you so much to Funeral Haze’s vocalist Mary (@metalmaryz) for the wonderful Q&A.
——Vegas Music Scene