Release
date: December 08th 2017. Label: Self Released. Format: CD/DD
The
Fourth Seal - Tracklisting
1.Final War 06:25
2.Witches Will
Gather 05:50
3.Aokigahara 06:45
4.Bereavement 08:46
5.Gnashing Of Teeth
05:43
6.Forlorn Extinction
04:37
7.Pale Rider 07:08
8.Tyrant 05:33
9.Phantasmal Voice
07:43
Members
Eric Ondo, Rich
Cygan, Jason Schryver, Andre Almaraz
Review
Even
though I'm huge fan of Baroness and Mastodon, I'm willing to admit I
miss their earlier albums heavy progressive sludge riffs before they
abandoned that sound for a more commercial based sound. This is why
I'm thankful for bands such as Pale Horseman who have taken up the
mantle of creating highly complex and progressive sludge metal
sounds.
Now
four albums into their career, the band return with The Fourth Seal.
A heavy complex and highly intelligent journey that has a lot of
soulful psychedelic grooves that allows the band to have a more
threatening presence compared to their other albums.
Opening
track - Final War - has a thrash metal groove with the band
channelling early Metallica especially with the thrash paced guitars
and pitch perfect vocals. The progressive sludge element of the album
is the main focus here as Pale Horseman manages to sound like a
direct threat to the more established bands within the Progressive
Sludge Metal scene. It's good to hear Pale Horseman change the mood
of the album so early on. As they'll happily be playing a Thrash
Metal sound before switching to a more soulful psychedelic riff. The
majority of the songs held on the album run from six to nine minutes
in length. With this being a progressive sounding album, Pale
Horseman includes a lot of interesting ideas in both the music and
lyrics held within the album.
The
next three songs on the album: Witches Will Gather, Aokigahera and
Bereavement - are perhaps the standout moments of the album. As the
sounds of Witches Will Gather and Bereavement have a strong balance
of Thrash, Progressive, Sludge and Psychedelic vibes that leave you
pressing the rewind button for more enlightenment and even
punishment. The production is another highlight of the album. As the
album feels dynamic and fresh from the very start. The instrumental
work is LOUD and throws you right into the centre of the action. You
feel that Pale Horseman is playing right in front of you. So top
marks on the production side of things.
Other
songs on the album that I was impressed with were Pale Rider and
Phantasmal Voice as the band expertly switch genres yet again whilst
still delivering a true "underground" Progressive Sludge
Metal experience. If you feel let down by the current studio outputs
of Baroness and Mastodon. You need to experience Pale Horseman for
yourselves. Some people may feel the album maybe slightly too long in
parts. Though that feeling will go away within time. As there is a
lot of music to digest and fully understand here. So please give this
album repeated listens before making your final decision.
The
album also has its fair share of Doom and Gloom parts. As The Fourth
Seal has a creepy narrative that becomes even more threatening when
the band slow things down and play gloomy soundscapes against a
progressive thrash/sludge metal backdrop. The Fourth Seal is perhaps
Pale Horseman's most complete album to date. As the album feels more
focused and perhaps fully realized compared to their earlier albums.
The
Fourth Seal is one of those albums why you fell in love with Heavy
Metal music in the first place. You want an album that is challenging
and extremely heavy from the start. Well look no further, Pale
Horseman is here to answer your prayers....
Words
by Steve Howe
Thanks to Curtis at
Dewar PR for the promo.
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