Somehow, this got almost lost in the mix. I don't know how, because duga recommended about five albums to me, but none of them found their way onto my list before Metal Month II began, and it was only when double-checking this week how many I had left, to ensure there were enough days left, that I came across him and did a double-take. So I'm looking at this one, and apologies for almost ignoring you, man!
Foundations of burden --- Pallbearer --- 2014 (Profound Lore Records)
Normally, I've tried to stay away from albums released this year, as they would conflict with the “Freshly Forged” section, but as I almost missed duga completely, and as I've already listened to Megadeth and Carcass, I thought this was the album on his list most likely to interest me. So here it is.
Surprisingly, after six years in existence this is only the second album from these doom metal merchants. I see too that it has a mere seven tracks, but that most of them hit over the ten-minute mark, so it won't be like listening to an EP I guess. We open on “Worlds apart”, which is one of those ten-minuters, and has a nice, dramatic guitar to start it off, not sounding as slow or crushing as I've come to expect from doom metal. Quite tuneful and upbeat really. The vocalist is also a pleasant surprise, reminding me very much of early Ozzy. I certainly like his voice more than any doom metal vocalist I've heard yet, save perhaps himself from Doomsword. And I must admit I'm already really into this. It's far better than, again, most of the doom I've been subjected to this month. The guitar is crushing without being oppressive, if that's possible, and the drums are heavy but with purpose.
There's also some really nice vocal harmonies, though I see now that it's guitarist Devin Holt taking the mike for this first track, as indeed he will do for the third. Beautiful little solo there in the fourth minute; I feel this ten minute opener is going to go a lot easier than I had originally anticipated. Slowing down now into a darker, grindier groove, like someone walking who suddenly falls into quicksand or finds himself in setting tar. Good though; the music here is pretty superb. It's definitely descended into a darker groove all right, with an ending big and heavy enough to crush an elephant. That takes us into what I guess is as close to a title track as we're going to get, as “Foundations” introduces us to main vocalist Brett Campbell, and contrary to my fears, his voice is just as pleasant and decipherable as Holt's. Speaking of Devin, some great guitar work from him opens up this second epic.
“Foundations” runs for nearly nine minutes, and is slower and harder than the opener, Holt's guitar growling all over the song while Campbell sings in a somewhat slightly higher register than his bandmate, a vocal really more suited to AOR or prog metal I would have thought, though I'm certainly not complaining. When I saw these guys were doom metal I feared the worst, but this is not at all bad. In fact, it's very good. It might even be very very good. So good is it in fact that we're halfway through this second track and I hadn't really noticed. It's certainly not dragging, that's for sure! Even less predictable is the soft, laidback guitar passage that takes the song in its sixth minute, and although this winds up into a harder, more punchy riff as the track moves towards its conclusion, it's an unexpected turn, and very welcome.
I'm actually finding it hard to call much of this doom metal, or at least what I have come to see as traditional doom metal. It's more upbeat, musically, and clearer, and even a little faster than the doom metal I've listened to up to now. Definitely enjoying this. Hmm. I may have been wrong about the lead vocals changing per track; looks like both Holt and bassist Joseph D. Rowland contribute
backing vocals, but I wonder why the Wiki page goes to such lengths to point out on which tracks each sings? Well, duga can probably clear that up later for us.
“Watcher in the dark” has a heavier, broodier feel to it and runs on a grinding guitar for about three of the almost eleven minutes it spans, with vocals only coming in at that point, the Ozzy sound back which makes me rethink the above paragraph. Does Holt return to take lead vocals on this song? Well I guess in a way it doesn't matter, as they all appear to be good singers. There's a darker, more dramatic feel to this, and although piano and Fender Rhodes have been mentioned I have to admit I've heard neither so far. An absolutely superb guitar outro that could very well have this song taking standout for me so far, something of a feat given how great the other two tracks were. Sense of Gilmour in there too, if you listen real hard. Again, it's a long song that's over before you even realise it, and we're into another (thank the metal gods) in “The ghost I used to be”.
Very reflective, almost oriental in ways opening, and I could really hear a violin here (though there isn't one: I just think it would have fitted in so well) as the song again rides along on a heavy but very melodious guitar line from Holt. Mustn't forget the vocal either, because it's quite excellent. In fact, just about everything about this is wonderful, and I am surprised, as I did not expect it to be anywhere near this good. There's a slowdown to almost a crawl in the last few minutes of “The ghost I used to be” with a kind of echo in the vocal that gives you the impression of chanting, then a really slick little guitar passage before the percussion thumps back in and the song moves into its eighth minute. Yeah, eight: already.
Ah, now we hear the Fender Rhodes, and it has been worth waiting for as the shortest track on the album by a long way, “Ashes”, a mere three minutes and change, provides a lovely change with a soft vocal and what definitely sounds like violin but may be on synth. A ballad on a doom metal album? You'd better believe it. The closer then is the longest track by a little bit, as with a Sabbathy guitar riff unaccompanied “Vanished” kicks in and runs for almost twelve minutes. Some more beautiful Floydesque guitar here, the drumming suits it perfectly, almost like a heartbeat, and the singing is, dare I say it on a doom metal album? Yeah, I dare: angelic. The singing is angelic. There, I said it. Oh my f
ucking god I think I'm in love with this album. It is just amazing. No, I will not say it. No. Never. I don't use that word. Yes I know it applies, but I refuse on basic principles to use that overused word --- ah
fuck it okay. It's awesome. Satisfied? Yeah. It's awesome. In fact, I'd go further: it's fu
cking awesome. I mean it.
TRACKLISTING
1. Worlds apart
2. Foundations
3. Watcher in the dark
4. The ghost I used to be
5. Ashes
6. Vanished
I feel about this album kind of the way I did when I first listened to Doomsword, or Stormbringer, or Urfaust recently. Just did not expect it to be this good and am really blown away by how incredible this album is. Again, whether it would fall under doom metal for me or not is debatable, however I am slightly disappointed that Pallbearer only have two albums, which means I only have one other I can check out. But certainly at the moment one of the albums of 2014.
And again, sorry duga for nearly missing you out. And thanks for the rec. I mean it.