Nearly five years ago, a band called Cosmoscope entered the Atlanta music scene. For years, their sound progressed to the point where Cosmoscope was no longer the sound or image that they started with. As the time approached to record their next EP, they knew a fresh start was their best bet. By the time For The Dearly Departed was recorded, the transformation to The Funeral Portrait was complete. 

Their latest record, A Moment of Silence, is a blend of realness and narrative that tells the story of a person’s journey into the afterlife. The record begins after the person’s death and goes through the concepts of heaven and hell and any other belief. For this person’s entire life, heaven was the reward for being good on Earth… or so they had been told. Instead, multiple journeys through time and space ultimately land on the end of complete and utter silence. “The main focus on the record is spiraling down into nothing,” lead vocalist Lee Jennings said. “Spirals never end because they’re always spinning. There’s no beginning, there’s no end; it’s always moving.”

The physical spiral for the album artwork is not only a representation of the album’s theme but a representation of the band’s constant dedication. They are constantly moving to challenge themselves and churn out content that is the best version of themselves. That translates on the record as well as on stage. The experience the listener has while listening to the record is the same experience live.

The sound for A Moment of Silence was less drums samples and more organic. They’ve taken the basics of different genres – ranging from rock, heavy metal and pop – to create a blend of what they currently love listening to. “I think we’re going to be one of those bands that change sonically every record or every time we put out new music just because what we listen to always changes and what we’re inspired by always changes. I think that’s the big thing that we brought to the table this time around,” Jennings said.

The concept for this record is unlike anything they’ve done before and its success thus far proves that the change was for the better. It wasn’t a hard decision for the members of the band to transition into who they are today and they encourage others to do the same. “If you in your heart really feel like you need a fresh start, then really do it. Don’t be afraid because it’s your life – you only get one. You could literally live on this Earth for one more day but if you really are doing what you love and if that means changing your lifestyle, today is the day you get to stand up and change for yourself. Even if you’re the most giving person of all time, you’re only on this Earth once. You only get one shot, especially in the music industry. You only get one shot to show them what you’re made of. Keep it entertaining and keep it true to you.”

The Funeral Portrait’s next album might not be a sound that is recognized as theirs right away, but it will be a sound that they worked hard to perfect.