KEY POINTS:
Welsh post-hardcore band Funeral For A Friend are (from left), singer Matt Davies, drummer Ryan Richards, bassist Gareth Davies, guitarist Darran Smith, guitarist Kris Coombs-Roberts.
When Matt Davies isn't being a rock star he likes gardening and hanging out with his wife at their little house in the
tranquil valleys of southern Wales.
His band, post-hardcore quintet, Funeral For A Friend, are not very well known in New Zealand. However, following the release of their 2003 debut album Casually Dressed and Deep In Conversation, an ambitious mix of rock, metal, and hardcore, with clean and screamed vocals, they were touted as one of British rocks next big things.
"People actually really, really, really liked us," laughs the Welshman in disbelief. "And the first time we stepped on a plane to go overseas was unbelievable too."
Next week they travel to New Zealand for the first time to headline SolidSonic2, with local bands Cold By Winter, False Start and Full Nelson, at the Studio in Auckland on September 20.
"For us to be coming is an amazing feeling. It's just overwhelming for us," he gushes.
"That might sound over the top but you can tell this well-spoken and humble chap means it.
He's been relishing a short break at home following a tour in support of the band's latest album, Tales Don't Tell Themselves. "I planted a tree the other day and dug the garden over," he laughs.
He admits that very early on in his music career he realised he wasn't cut out to be a flamboyant front man.
"I love performing and doing what I do but I don't rise to the occasion off stage. I'm very quiet, I like to chill out at home, and my life outside the band is absolutely boring, normal, and uninterrupted by any of the excesses my job entails.
"But our lives have changed over the last five years - being able to do this professionally and taking it to a level where we're able to tour the world. It's that whole romantic notion of the rock'n'roll lifestyle and we've done it."
FFAF's popularity increased in 2005 with the release of a second album, Hours, which was more accessible in that it had less screaming and took a more melodic approach.
Davies admits growing and evolving as a band has had its challenges, with a loyal and passionate fan base who follow their every move - both creatively and personally. But that didn't stop the band, especially Davies, feeling the need to try something different when it came time to record Tales Don't Tell Themselves.
It's a concept album about a fisherman who is shipwrecked and it raised a few eyebrows among their faithful fan base.
"A lot of people take change in either of two ways," reckons Davies. "Either they embrace it or they run away and go back to the albums you did before and treasure them and curse the day you ever decided to do something different.
"[Tales] is a completely different thing. I think it's definitely the most definitive idea of where we are as a band and the kind of musical outlook that we have and the influences we share are readily apparent on this record.
"For us, though, the challenge of creating an album that reflects individually what we want as a band as well as collectively has musically been a triumph."
Songs like The Diary and On A Wire are traditional sounding enough but it's the nearly eight minute centrepiece, All Hands On Deck Pts1 and 2, and final song, The Sweetest Wave, where the band's love of bands like 70s arena rockers Rush and flowery progressive metallers Dream Theatre comes through.
Initially it was Davies' idea to do a concept album and his band mates took a little convincing at first.
"But when we put it together and evolved the orchestral aspects this sweet idea I had in my head became more relevant to the guys," he laughs.
"The The Sweetest Wave is very symbolic of the album because it's very oceanic sounding. It has the peaks and troughs form of the waves, you know.
"And at the end of the day we pride ourselves on being able to write accessible pieces of music as well as challenging pieces of music which is what Funeral For A Friend is about and we didn't want to lose sight of that."
Who: Funeral For A Friend, at SolidSonic with Cold By Winter, False Start, and Full Nelson.
Where & When: The Studio, K' Rd, September 20.
