THE FUNERAL MARCH

“The stars at night are burning silver. Burn bright and quickly fade away. Our fates are written on flash paper. Touched to the flame and burnt away.”

Inspired by seminal English acts such as David Bowie, The Cure, Joy Division, Siouxsie and the Banshees and Bauhaus, The Funeral March of the Marionettes (more often simply ‘The Funeral March’) formed in Rockford, Illinois in 1987.

The name of the band was a nod to Charles Gounod’s ‘Funeral March of a Marionette’ (best known as the theme music for TV’s ‘Alfred Hitchcock Presents’).

During this initial phase of the band’s career, The Funeral March was active from their first gig in August 1987, until the mid-1990s.

As Joe Whiteaker (founding member and singer) later explained: “I looked up, and I was the only original member left, and after many years of fits and starts, when it all fell apart again, I decided it was time to leave it to slumber in its crypt... dreaming the blood red dreams of madness.”

It was 2017 when Joe felt that the band’s 30th anniversary was the right time to resurrect the project, releasing their long overdue debut, The Raven EP: a remastered collection of unearthed recordings fromthe band’s early years. The revitalised group would go on to release a string of five EPs and several standalone singles, before entering the studio in 2023 to record what would become their final release, ‘It All Falls Apart’.

Tragically, Joe lost his battle with pancreatic cancer in May of 2024.

And now finally, released last week on March 14, 2025, the long-awaited new album is here. Ready to take you, as if by a spell, into a inevitable world of joy and sorrow, loss and redemption & indictment and absolution.

Darius McCaskey (bassist and longtime friend of Joe who joined The Funeral March in 2021): “I’d like people to know how proud Joe was of this record. We had a great time recording what would become ‘It All Falls Apart’ with William Faith in 2023, before Joe was diagnosed with cancer, and he was able to hear the final mixes before he passed away. Joe didn’t have a specific theme in mind – each song was written independently, some even several years ago – but as tracks were selected and refined, this idea of things and people breaking down and falling apart emerged.”

‘It all falls Apart’ is enthralling and captivating Goth Rock, full of fire Post-Punk from the depths of degradation; Spectral-sounding to the ears.

With Joe Whiteaker assisted by guitarist Wayne Thiele and bassist Darius McCaskey the band is also joined on the album by guest contributors Ria Aursjoen (of Octavian Winters & AURSJOEN) on additional vocals, Rob Hyman (of [melter] & UsherHouse) on drums and Renard Platine on Bass VI.

What’s more, ‘It All Falls Apart’ also features remixes by Tweaker, BELLHEAD, and The Joy Thieves. all excellently produced, mixed & mastered by William Faith at his ‘13 Studio’ in Chicago.

In memory, and celebrating the Life and Legacy, of Joe Whiteaker (1968-2024).

It All Falls Apart | The Funeral March of the Marionettes

Hayley CLX
19/03/2025