.HORSE FUNERAL. comes out of Little Rock, Arkansas, a city not usually linked to the history of sass, mathcore, or the chaotic sound of Gravity Records. The band draws from the confrontational art-punk of the 1990s San Diego underground, as well as screamo, noise rock, and hardcore.
The group's current lineup went through multiple versions before finding the right chemistry. "There have been several iterations of this band," the members of .HORSE FUNERAL. tell No Echo. "It started with our vocalist Rachel playing with two completely different lineups under different band names."
When those early lineups fell apart, Rachel reached out to drummer Andy Burns. Attempts to fill out the band stalled until Andy brought in guitarist Natalie Wright, a jazz student from Greers Ferry already involved in the local scene. Natalie then brought in bassist Nelly Henry, who also plays in the screamo band The Incompleteness Theorem. "We met as a four-piece, and we all worked really well together," the band says. "We banged out our first song, 'Casket City,' and it was a solid lineup from then onward."
Just last week, .HORSE FUNERAL. dropped their self-titled 8-track debut release:
.HORSE FUNERAL. calls their sound "math/sass," a style shaped by the angular, frenetic, and theatrical approach of bands tied to Gravity Records and Three One G. Among the band's biggest influences are Antioch Arrow, The Locust, US Maple, Sonic Youth, Orchid, Jeromes Dream, Heroin, Arab on Radar, Rorschach, Born Against, Swans, These Arms Are Snakes, Shake Ray Turbine, and Frail Body.
"Our sound acts as an antithesis to the hypermasculine archetypes of hardcore," the band explains. "It's a deconstruction of those norms into a passionate delivery of emotion and angst for an audience that is still alienated from a preexisting subgenre."
The band approached songwriting with a focus on experimentation. "Most of the ideas came from our guitarist and bassist having long writing sessions together before bringing material into rehearsals," they explain. "Each song became a process of adding, removing, cutting up, and stitching together different sections."
Rachel and Nelly also took an unconventional approach to lyrics. "We used cut-up techniques, tarot, and a collection of poetry Rachel had already written." The songs address themes like religious trauma, romance, magick, and queerness, showing the band's commitment to personal expression and political commentary.
Little Rock may not be known for this kind of underground music, but .HORSE FUNERAL. has found support in the local community. "We absolutely have a close-knit scene," the band says. "Everyone knows everyone, and because Arkansas is so small, the different music scenes naturally blend together."
The band points out that Arkansas has a longer history with chaotic underground music than most people think. "There's a rich history of music like this here," they say, citing Shake Ray Turbine, William Martyr 17, and !!!, while also highlighting the state's growing screamo and metalcore communities.
As for the near future, .HORSE FUNERAL. are working on material for an EP. "We also intend on touring in 2027," the band says.
Before wrapping up, the band highlights several Arkansas bands that keep the local scene active. "Shout out The Incompleteness Theorem, EMS, Current Solace, and Revenge Bodies."
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The .HORSE FUNERAL. EP is available on CD via Vamonos Records
.HORSE FUNERAL. on social media: Instagram
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