Release Date: November 28th 2025. Record Label: Black Throne Productions: Formats: CD/DD/Tape/Vinyl
Diabolic Fprmation - Tracklisting
1. Deflowered (5:58)
2. Wickedness (5:03)
3. Holy Lies (5:46)
4. Save You (3:13)
5. Bloody Demon (5:02)
6. DED (6:50)
7. A Beautiful End (6:55)
Lineup
Paco (Bass/Vocals)
James Matheson (Lead Guitar)
Will Adams (Rhythm Guitar/Backing Vocals)
Jonah Santa-Barbara (Drums)
Guest Musicians:
Dom Valela- Keys, Vocals
Doom Valhalla- Italian Preacher
Review
Pale Horse Ritual feels like they have already truly arrived with their debut album Diabolic Formation which wastes no time in laying down the groundwork a stream of FUZZ DRIVEN and Heavy Psychedelic grooves that feels like a musical TIME CAPSULE was buried in the Seventies and being opened in today’s Sludge driven Doom/Stoner Metal world. The whole result is a record that moves from Fuzz, Psych, Grunge, Stoner Rock and Occult Doom Metal whilst allowing the band to add their own creative identity into the mix.
The RIFFS are HUGE and bursting with genuine AMPLIFER DISTORTION which you’ll hear within the epic opening track of Deflowered which is an absolute banger especially with this being purely and instrumental track. The song leans heavily within the Sludge Rock aesthetic with moments of DOOMED OUT and DISTORTED clarity with a filthy SONIC influence building throughout that leaves little to the imagination within the HEAVY VOLUME department.
Second track Wickedness sees Pale Horse Ritual channel their OCCULT DOOM METAL heritage with echoes of Black Sabbath, Blue Oyster Cult, Electric Wizard, Blue Cheer and Black Rainbows emerging. The feedback levels of FUZZ ain’t pretty and it isn’t subtle either but DAMN the band are absolute on FIRE spreading wild tales of the OCCULT that’s buried under an avalanche of gloomy rhythms and twisted sludgy guitars. There’s a deep love for Seventies Horror Films being shown here but it’s the epic PSYCHEDELIC visions that Pale Horse Ritual that offers quite a demonic and spaced out vibe perhaps closer to H.P. Lovecraft as well.
Third track Holy Lies once again keeps with the OCCULT ROCK theme with Pale Horse Ritual playing a riffier, aggressive and slightly Post-Stoner take which still remains quite vibrant and beautifully filthy at the same time. The grooves are played at a well controlled slow-to-mid pace which allows the distorted atmosphere to gather momentum with Paco’s daring vocals dominating the musical and creative landscape. He’s superbly supported by Will Adams with his grizzled back-up vocals offering a slightly different take. The song really excels with Pale Horse Ritual moving into modern sounds with the Psychedelic Stoner Metal angle fully coming out on top.
Fourth track Save You is a wholly different song compared to the other tracks with Pale Horse Ritual playing a more soulful and dialled back number which is semi-acoustic for the early stages. However, the band delivers a winning Post-Stoner and Post-Doom style that sees a cautionary style of Grunge sounds to appear and even Shoegaze vibes which make this one of my favourite tracks on the whole album. The band still write hard-hitting themes that once again leave a sense of hope and despair at the same time.
The final three tracks of Bloody Demon, Ded and A Beautiful End are all seedy and twisted tales of Psychedelic Paranoia coming to life with the kick-ass PROTO DOOM METAL melodies transforming into other areas of modern day Doom/Stoner Metal whilst having outlandish fun with the FUZZED OUT surroundings that have a violent effect within the heaviest sounds of the whole album. Bloody Demon and A Beautiful End are two of the other standout tracks of the record that deserve your full and undivided attention as Pale Horse Ritual fully establish their own blend of GOTHIC and PSYCHEDELIC twisted bliss.
Pale Horse Ritual have delivered an intense and brilliantly addictive wild ride with Diabolic Formation which should see the album claim a few ALBUM OF THE YEAR mentions before the year is out. It’s already grabbed a place on mine. This is a must have album. Plain and Simple.
Words by Steve Howe
Thanks to C Squared Music for the promo.
Diabolic Formation is available to buy now on CD/DD/Tape/Vinyl via Black Throne Productions.
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