Pallbearer "Mind Burns Alive" (2024)

 

Dreary, tender and burdensome, grisly groans of weighty emotion toy with sullen, melancholic strides of vulnerable melody. They flicker like flashes of sunlight through autumnal leaves, clinging for life on old trees. Pallbearer's rural guitar distortions and laggard, lunging rhythmic groves paint an effigy stripped of all but natures pains. Front man Campbell drifts an honest voice into sombre innocences. Bare, naked and hurt, they humble, swelling into cathartic shouts and memorable tunes to land his words.

Mind Burns Alive's music sways intensities gently, brewing gusto with subtly, gradual aches blossom as a roaring beautiful gravitas emerges in conclusion. Its earthly tone persists, almost Heathen in nature. Song after song displays wounds to be wound up into heavy-hearted reflections that escape true relief. Depression lingers, hung in a curious balance, gloomy yet a dim flicker of hope survives, only to be snuffed out.

The sunny shimmer of its naturalistic opening acoustic guitars swiftly retreat into a glum foray led by saddening lyrics. It sets one up for a riveting ride through bi-polar extremes, yet past the opening pair, balance starts drifting in mercy to a darker persuasion. As the album blooms early on, its lengthy ending circles on itself, persisting further into its oppressive sorrows. This sadly soured an otherwise deep piece of music that defines itself clearly, to take one along on a spellbinding journey.

Rating: 7/10

Pallbearer "Forgotten Days" (2020)

 

Doom Metal is not my forte however this young and highly praised band caught my attention with their Progressive approach to one of Metal's older incarnations. They've struck me as a band that take time to love and Heartless grows on me still with each occasional return. Forgotten Days, the groups forth outing, may just suffice a similar fate. After many listens I find myself stunted by its opening stylistic halves, in awe of one, dulled by the other. Fortunately the album quickly moves beyond this fumble.

The opening title track illuminates their chemistry with its dull contrast. It kicks off, churning out burly descendings of southern swampy groove from its hazy distortion guitars. Its a sound all to akin to New Orleans based Down, a similarity heard on occasion. For this song the band focus on raw groove within a monochromatic tone. Sludgy low end riffing takes a slow, measured approach, building momentum among steady chugs and palm mutes. It of fair craft but a damp and stale, colorless delivery.

Its refrain brings relief as illuminating chorus soaked guitars light up the scene with color and emotion, singer Brett Campbell opens up his tone after sounding very much like Ozzy Osbourne beforehand. Fortunately, Forgotten Days doesn't return to this rhythm oriented stint. Of course the music is laden with interesting grooves that sway within the changing temperaments. Its main focus is the swelling saturation of melodies and harmony that emerges from this inherently gloomy aesthetic.

Where it could be all to easy to feel burdensome and sluggish, the band bring a weighty emotion that toys with beauty and struggle as a strangely uplifting melancholy permeates these scenic songs that journey through stunning musical ideas, each track building to its own crescendo of sorts. The inclusion of a zapping synthesizer on Stasis, droning in to add texture to the punch is timely. Short bursts of it appear on other songs too but its not an indulged idea on this record.

Silver Wings losses a little steam at the mid point with its gloomier setting but otherwise Forgotten Days is a fine record delivering thoughtful music that only dulls in the greyer shades of its aesthetic design. The inflections of color through melody and plucked chords are enchanting, Campbell often acts as the voice to unite it all together under is soaring, yet grounded presences. He has an endearing rawness that's quite capable of delivering delightful harmony with his fellow band mates. Having already plucked a few favorites, more may yield with time and familiarity. I am not completely swooned but I feel its always possible with this band.

Rating: 7/10

My Top 10 Music Discoverys In 2018

 

Last year I wanted to tone down the amount of routine Metal records I delved into. I'm still yet to break that cycle but looking back over the past twelve months I am far happier with the short list of new discoveries. Narrowing it down to just ten, we have only three strictly metal outfits! Success... maybe, then again it should be about finding quality music, regardless of type. Anyway my plan for 2019 is to focus my efforts to music beyond what I normally gravitate to and not paying attention to releases from mediocre bands.

(10) Sleepy Sun

I only got into a single record of theirs but what an amazing listen Fever was! This American Rock band pull influences from many of the greats and put together an engulfing experience that ebbs and flows at all musical levels. It was a peach to engross in and Ill be sure to grab another record of theirs soon, I hope it will be as gorgeous as this one!

(9) Algiers

A fond discovery! Algiers are another act similar to Zeal And Ardor in resurrecting century old Blue and Chain Gang singing, fusing aspects with Post-Punk and Psychedelic Rock together, even Industrial accents encroach aesthetically. Its a real cluster of influences that has a clear vision and soul at the heart of their music.

(8) Janis Joplin

She's a legendary name in the history of music from decades gone by and I'm glad I found the connection at last but I am guilty once again of only getting into the one record! Pearl is simply stunning, a treat fueled by her passionate singing, a voice one can't forget easily. No doubt Ill pick up the other record she released soon.

(7) Pallbearer

Doom Metal most certainly goes a little beyond what clicks with me but one can really appreciate what this band do musically even if its not quite your cup of tea. Getting through the Pallbearer records has certainly lured me in closer and I am always fond of these scaling, epic songs whenever they return on shuffle.

(6) Myrkur

I was blessed to hear her angelic voice live twice this year! It was first at Download Festival, a happy accident! I have since worked through their records of which the latest, Mareridt, is the best. This band show huge potential and her singing and cultural roots is at the heart of that. She is as good live as on record!

(5) At The Gates

The name is unmissable at Metal shows and finally Ive haven gotten around to checking them out. Their early records are far more interesting and their later, like Slaughter Of The Soul, firmly fit them into the foundations of the Melodic Death Metal sound I know all to well through bands that came after them. It takes the edge of somewhat but you can still hear the magic of the music at that time.

(4) Steve Roach

My exploration of ambient music is often thwarted by its palatable nature but Structures From Silence and Dreamtime Return are exactly the sorts of albums I seek out. Magical records stemming directly from principle and inspiration that birth magic from minimalism. I was fortunate to hear of Steve, he is a pioneer in the genre and these records are mood transforming magics from the 80s before the connectivity and accessibility of the internet.

(3) Old Tower

I adore the idea of Dungeon Synth. In reality its a genre bogged down with waves of low effort music and releases given the low bar of entry. That's made it hard to discover decent artists over the years and Old Tower certainly started in that low entry range but with The Rise Of The Specter the dutch musician excelled and birthed something unique to give meaning to the Old Tower moniker. Its a uniquely meditative and spiritual take on the sound.

(2) Turnstile

 I cannot get enough of this band right now. Having gotten through all their records Ive found a Hardcore band that excels at being energetic and passionate without barbaric machismo. Their lyrics get in your head while the music continuously propels the momentum. Its infectious and which each record they have grown leading to the fantastic Space & Time with made My Top 10 Albums Of 2018 list this year!

(1) Logic

 Who else could it be? With a firm collection of records in his back catalog Ive spent the year getting through them and growing to really appreciate this artist. His name does not carry as much clout as it should. Being of the Eminem inspired generation I think critics don't give him credit where his technicality outshines originality. Logic also lacks curation but there are plenty gems to be unearthed in his plethora of songs. As records I think The Incredible True Story and Young Sinatra: Undeniable are his strongest. Only a few projects of his left to get through now!

Pallbearer "Sorrow And Extinction" (2012)

Sorrow And Extinction is a gloomily fitting title for this sullen, bewildering debut record by the acclaimed American Doom Metal band Pallbearer of Arkansas. Charmed by their newer albums Foundations Of Burden and Heartless I wanted to complete my journey through their catalog, which is rooted in a genre Ive never fully connected with. Their artistic approach to Doom Metal has the deathly slow pace traversed with burly lunges of oozing guitar distortion, making a mark on the genre far more interesting and intricate. Coming back to this origin point one can hear the cracks and creeks in the sound that would be greased out by their sophomore but even its flaws are mostly aesthetic.

Once again Pallbearer have me at the mercy of their sludgy pacing and dense foggy distortion tone. The feeling of imminent gloom and suffering revels in a bleak landscape that seems to find life just above the swampy guitar movements that crawl and lunge forward with a burden weighing it down so. This dark and esoteric sound has a natural and decaying quality where music of this nature so often falls into the realm of of evil and fantasy, something feels root and grounded, deeply earthly about Pallbearers journey through sorrows.

The guitar are poised at the mercy of singer Campbell who swings it in this carnal, earthly direction as his light and cruising voice swiftly sails out from the depths with finely held notes that coarse through the mist with an ambiguous touch of reverb that's both ghostly and living at the same time. The moments where he sings as lead guitars erupt over the brooding guitars are the most fantastic on this record. The leads too inflict much needed respite from the monstrous guitars as they break up the monotony and blossom with color and motion.

The album falls short where it fails to maintain its balance, or keep from letting the gloom become too engulfing. Treating the album as a single experience their are lengthy passageways devoid of that important break and respite that brings the music to life and gives the sprawling guitar sludge a sense of hidden beauty, for when it drags it drags its feet slowly. In the moments the chemistry is ripe its a very captivating listen but lengthy compositions hold these moments at bay. I also found the production to be a little jagged with its handling of the dense guitars which can all to easy dominate in a very interesting musical setting.

Favorite Tracks: Devoid Of Redemption

Rating: 6/10

Pallbearer "Foundations Of Burden" (2014)

Praised as their best work, this sophomore record from the Arkansas Doom Metal outfit Pallbearer has all the measured, weighty wonder of its successor yet strips back most of its prettier, gleaming guitar tones and melodic, Progressive Rock influences. I am talking in reverse however, this record that came before it has scale and craft protruding from its dense and meaty lunge of crunchy, fuzzy guitars accommodated by slow burgeoning drums. They form a stunning atmospheric setting, its mood caught between natural beauty and mortal sorrow.

Foundations Of Burden feels closer to the formula of sluggish, punishing paces and dreary, gloomy atmospheres associated with Doom Metal. Some sections reveal their simple construct with minimal guitar work between the strikes of bass kicks and lonely hi-hats but despite this the tempo shifts and guitar work can erode all sense of structure and repetition that is commonplace as a web of expression unravels itself beyond all tropes. In these moments it feels like the music escapes its own limitations, the layering of guitar leads and stunning vocals has the music blossoming into vivid, indulgent places.

Some of its riffs are aggressive and grooving on paper but the warm fuzzy distortion tone and lack of urgency in performances spins so much of what is "Metal" into feeling like the distortion is almost irrelevant to what it creates. The heart of the music is in the melody and voices of Campbell and Holt, the grizzly belly of drawn out power chords only drives the music when all engines fire, otherwise it drifts into a commonplace setting however this push and pull is essential to the magic that unfolds as these songs progress into wondrous places. Really memorable record!

Favorite Track: The Ghost I Used To Be

Rating: 8/10

Pallbearer "Heartless" (2017)

Smooth, serine harmonies and scenic wonder wrapped in sadness, Arkansas based Pallbearer reinvent the Doom metal sound to their own liking, at least to my ears. Having not had a lot of experience with the genre Ive mostly come to know it for sluggish pacing, dense morbid atmospheres and gaunt guttural vocals that explore a romanticism with sadness and depression. Pallbearer on the other hand seem to explore that plane from a balcony of gleam and glory, turning this undercurrent of wallow into a luminous, uplifting crusade through the epics of the soundscape we traverse, of course that feeling of burden and melancholy lingers not far behind.

With an inviting, tonally pleasing yet dense and thick measure of distortion guitars we are lured into a dazzling arrangement of riffs, licks and leads that melt and ooze over one another in an endlessly animated, yet steady, movement of music. Guiding the motion, tight crispy drums pack a crunchy punch as the gorgeous production gives them a spacious, primed setting to work around the involved riff work. Coursing over the ornate arrangements of unfolding magic, singer Cambell illuminates much of the record with serine vocals that saddle the lines between power and vulnerability, sadness and gleam as the instrumentals lure us into spotlights for him to overwhelm the musics persuasion.

What is most charming for me is the attraction of opposites, the doom and gloom finds itself rubbing up against beaming guitars with potent a brew of indulging melody. They have the tone and texture of aggression and force, the rumble and grit of distortion cries out yet its execution is delicate and measured, finding dimension for the anger to bleed out and the meaning prevail. This feels like a record ill have fun with for some time, it has certainly made an impression and as a friend pointed out, it has that faithful re-imagining of Metal ideals much like the band Ghost. Definitely getting their first two albums now, which I have heard are supposed to be even better than this!

Favorite Track: Cruel Road

Rating: 7/10