Electric Funeral - Misanthropy For The Masses EP Review

Tia Babatzikos
May 31
4 min read

Melbourne based thrash metal band Electric Funeral released their debut EP Misanthropy For The Masses earlier in the year, and it is brutality incarnate.

Each track is individually thought-provoking, enhanced by skillful melodic riffs and ferocious energy. As a collective, the EP is inherently political and explores themes of death, suffering, morality and humanity.

Vocalist and guitarist Ethan Benson delivers meaningful lyrics with references to philosophy and literature in a hard-hitting way. Backed by a sound that blends old-school thrash with death metal, as well as including speed and groove influences, bassist Angus Benson and drummer Tom Chappell complete the vision. MisanthropY For The Masses is definitely one to delve into.

The opening track, Thus Spoke Zarathustra, perfectly establishes the thematic and sonic tones of the EP as a whole. This track is raw and brutal from the get-go, with heavy chugging riffs that guide listeners to a fast-tempo assault of the senses.

Sharing its name with one of Nietzsche’s most notable works, lyrically the track is heavy with philosophical themes and ideas, making direct reference to Nietzsche and his criticisms of traditional morality and religion.

The chorus includes the lines “God is dead” and “seek the Superman”, which brings forth ethan's concept behind the track- that there is a need to "create a new kind of human", one which is achieved through "greater compassion between people". The references are subtle, but for philosophy nerds like myself, the lyrics are interesting to dissect.

After the second chorus, the tone of the song shifts as militaristic drums lead listeners into a melodic and technically beautiful guitar solo. It is the perfect backdrop for contemplation and flows into the next track.

Pro Patria Mori, the second track, is a Latin phrase meaning “to die for one’s country” and deals with some heavy themes including war, death and trauma. The song opens with groove-influenced riffs and drums that are reminiscent of a marching band, linking the sound directly to the overall themes.

Lyrically, this track deals with the darkest themes and has the most visceral lyrics of the entire EP. Ferocious vocals deliver raw lines such as “when every year we march, and people cheer us proud, but I still wonder why” which criticise the futility of war and the treatment of soldiers by society.

This line concludes the track and juxtaposes the horror and violence outlined in the first few verses of the song, with depictions such as “all men here are doomed, a feast for the flies, skinless bodies knee high, fortune shines when you die”. Ethan writes that the intention here was to juxtapose “the existential pain of the memories of war with the cheering crowd” and to assert that warfare is something being “celebrated instead of being something to mourn”.

Depths of Hell is immediately hard-hitting and ferocious, with brutally heavy riffs and explosive impactful vocals. This track is an auditory exploration of hell, inspired by Dante’s ‘The Divine Comedy’. The lyrics lead listeners down each layer of hell until they reach the very center.

Ethan utilises the imagery of Hell freezing over, where “curdled blood coats ice walls” as an “allegory for the breakdown of moral consensus”, and the symbolism of Satan rising represents “the ability for the worst of us to survive in a post-truth world”.

After the final chorus, a technical and lilting guitar solo leads to a slow and groovy bassline, which then metamorphosises into a gorgeous melodic solo. The track then abruptly ends, giving the impression that silence is all that remains.

The final track of the EP, Misanthrope, shifts slightly from the sound of the previous three songs. The track opens with dynamic vocals, a mix of gutturals and more punk-influenced sounds and also utilises simpler lyrics compared to the other tracks.

The first verse includes repetitive lines like "kill kill kill" and "die die die" which are deceptively simple, along with the repeated line of "misanthropy for the masses" making up the chorus.

The tone of the song shifts just before halfway through, with heavy chugging riffs layered with death-influenced technical melodies. The tempo begins to build as snarls come to the surface, breaking the tension and the track climaxing with increased drumming speed.

Upon my first few listens, I interpreted this song as being a criticism of senseless violence. The lyrics of this track are much simpler and abstract compared to the other songs in the EP, and I interpreted the simplicity as further accentuating the violence outlined and the overall theme of mindless destruction.

Ethan then discussed the meaning behind the lyrics as “the willful ignorance we all need to have to function in society" which "is enough to make anybody a bit of a misanthrope”, providing an alternative understanding of the song.

I was truly enamoured by Misanthropy for the masses in Its entirety. Each track is explosive and forceful, demonstrating the band’s incredible technical and musical ability. Every song also provides thoughtful commentary on current political and societal issues in a way which is nuanced and sharp.

I thoroughly enjoyed breaking down the lyrics and ideas behind each track, as well as reading Ethan's insights and intentions behind each song. You can listen to the EP here and come to your own conclusions :)

Rating: 9.5/10

Electric Funeral have an upcoming show on May 31st as part of Noise Freaks Naarm at the Fairfield’s Bowls Club, with all proceeds being donated to assisting victims in Palestine. They also have their first interstate show in Sydney alongside many other bands on June 14th at The MOSHPIT Bar.

I recently attended their headline gig at Revs and was blown away by the band’s energy and ferocity. You can expect Coles muffins being tossed into the crowd, paper plates with cryptic messages and an assortment of other delightful chaos like a crowd surfer in a hot dog outfit. More information, tickets and lineups are available on the band’s official Instagram here.