It’s been a long time seen I discovered a Doom band that can play sloooow, heavy, dark Doom…the serious kind of Doom. If you take a look at Pilgrim’s “Misery Wizard” cover art you will probably see some similarities with some REVEREND BIZARRE’s covers. Now, if I remember correctly REVEREND BIZARRE is (was) the band that knows how to play like that. Let me tell you, the similarities don’t stop in the covers of course.
PILGRIM is a new band which songs are slow, lengthy and they like to play heavy and loud. No doubt, this is text book monolithic Doom. Other influences of the band include CATHEDRAL and in lesser extent CANDLEMASS. To be fair, PILGRIM gave me the impression of a very diligent student in the crafts of Doom. While their style is more than appealing to me, some may find that in “Misery Wizard” band plays something that is really predictable. I will not disagree.
Most songs are build around a few simplistic guitar riffs (which always end with a vibrato), few (admittedly) quite memorable vocal lines and some great work on the drums. While each song when heard separately is quite interesting I can’t say that the entire record flows equally easy. It seems that most tracks are unnecessarily long and can only be recognized from a nice vocal line or two.
There are a couple of shining exceptions which in my opinion scream how great the album could have been. “Astaroth” the album opener was contained in the awesome split with ICE DRAGON (a great Doom band! I suggest you check them out if you haven’t done so) and is a monster Doom track. “Adventurer” on the other hand, is the only track that could be described as fast. Once more, this track is based on great vocals melodies and has that spark that makes it instantly catchy.
While playing slow and monolithic is considered by most people easy, I would say there is nothing easy about it if you want the result to be descent rather than boring. PILGRIM don’t sound boring but they move on a very thin line there…I don’t think I love (nor hate) “Misery Wizard” but the fact remains that there is huge potential with this band! I will be waiting patiently in my lair…
If you are looking for a missing chapter in the genre called Doom Metal then PALE DIVINE is indeed one! Unfortunate enough to have been born in a transitional phase of Doom this band would have been huge if the timing was better. But PALE DIVINE never give up they just return with great albums one after another! “Painted Windows Black” is the title of their new offspring set to be released in a few weeks from now! We had the opportunity to chat with Darin McCloskey (drums) about it…
Dr.Doom: First of all it’s a real honor to talk to you guys, and thanks for the opportunity! 5 years seems a lot of time! Do you mind filling us with details of what happened to PALE DIVINE in the time between “Cemetery Earth” and “Painted Windows Black”? Darin: Well thank you for the interview! Let’s see….wow, a lot to cover between those years…I’ll try to be as concise as possible. Looking back…John Gaffney came in shortly after Perry Grayson finished up the ‘Doom Shall Rise’ tour with us. John Gaffney left in 2008 shortly after John Klein came in on second guitar…Jerry Bright came in to replace John Gaffney on bass…Jerry hung around for a while then he left. We played quite a number of shows including the ‘Declaration of Doom’ festival in Baltimore, MD and as many shows in the area as could. We began writing new material around that time and made a demo for the ‘Templars of Doom III’ fest which included two songs which are on the new Cd ‘Painted Windows Black’, “Angel of Mercy”, “Black Coven” and “Painted Windows Black.” In and around that time we worked out a deal with Shadow Kingdom records to release our first demo “Crimson Tears” with a couple bonus tracks from the first SHoD (Stoner Hands of Doom) fest in Manassass VA. We continued to write until we entered the studio in the Fall of 2010. It took us almost a year to finish writing and recording ‘Painted Windows Black’ but here we are and here it is…hopefully, it will be worth the wait for those who hung in there with us. At this time Greg and I have quite a few songs already written for the next CD so hopefully it won’t take nearly as much time for us to get something new out there! fingers crossed!!
Dr.Doom: What is the current line-up of PALE DIVINE? Does Perry Grayson still plays the bass for the band? Darin: It’s Greg (Deiner) and I as it’s pretty much been from the beginning. Jerry Bright recorded the bass tracks on ‘Painted windows Black’ but he has since left and at this point Perry has been sent new material to learn for our next CD and it’s likely he will contribute bass to it but as far as who will be playing live with us…and what the overall future holds, it’s really up in the air. The distance between us and Perry, who currently lives in Australia is a bit of an obstacle unfortunately….certainly not beyond the realm of possibility but in so far as playing live and rehearsing…it’s obviously a bit difficult. We have someone we’re almost ready to announce hopefully as a permanent member on bass but nothing has been decided just yet but we will know for sure by the end of March. In the meantime John Gaffney has been back in the fold temporarily playing shows and helping out as much as possible.
Dr.Doom: Now that Perry Grayson’s name is brought up I bet many fans of CIRITH UNGOL may ask if FALCON is still active and if we should expect something new from them any time soon. Darin: Perry, Greg and I got together in LA a few months ago to rehearse new Falcon material and it was a blast! So plans are absolutely in the works for a new Falcon album…probably in 2012. In the meantime I believe Svart recs. will be releasing the vinyl version of “Die Wontcha” very soon.
Dr.Doom: “Painted Windows Black” is the title of the new album! First of all, how does it sounds like? I’ve heard only one song so far (“The Prophet”) and something tells me that we may be talking for the heaviest PALE DIVINE album to date? Darin: Well, personally for me and I think Greg also shares this opinion it’s by far the most sublime…or as he puts it “depressing”. When we started compiling material and writing for this album we noticed that many of the songs were slower, longer and in many ways just sad…lyrical subject matter has a lot to do with it and of course the tone of the music that coincides with it makes for what I would consider to be our “doomiest” record to date. “Heavy” well that’s a subjective call…as everyone has their own definition of what “heavy” is but as far as we’re concerened there’s a couple songs are are musically heavier than anything else we’ve done and lyrically…overall….yeah, it could be considered our “heaviest” output. So far…quite a few people who’ve heard seem to agree that it’s our best. Which is GREAT to hear!
Dr.Doom: From “The Prophet” I also noticed that the vocals sound much more melodic… Darin: I suppose so…yeah, I think I know what you mean. I’m not sure if you’re talking about way Greg sings or the music itself? I guess that’s just the way it came out during the writing process.I don’t think we’ve tried to be any more “melodic” than we’ve been before…if anything the new CD benefits from a clearer production quality which makes the vocals “cleaner” and more audible. We’ve always tried to incorporate a generous amount of melody in our songs…mostly because I think that’s what Greg and I appreciate most about the music that inspired us and what we continue to listen to.
Dr.Doom: Before we go on with this interview can you give us some details about the release dates of “Painted Windows Black”? I assume there will be a vinyl release too, right? Darin: The official release date is March 27th, it will be released in Europe first I believe maybe a week or so earlier. I would love for there to be a vinyl release but as of now there are no plans to do so and I’m fairly certain that SKR will not be pressing any vinyl of “Painted Windows Black” but if someone else had an interest I’m sure something could be worked out. We have close to 70 mins. of music on this CD to do a vinyl version would require a double lp. In all honesty I love vinyl…that’s really all I purchase any more and I would love to have vinyl versions of all our albums but someone would obviously have to be interested in investing some money into it.
Dr.Doom: In interview you once said (http://metalmark.blogspot.com/2008/07/interview-with-pale-divine.html) that you would like to have an appeal to a larger metal audience. Does this statement represents the vision of the band in 2012? Darin: Sure, if we can be heard and appreciated by more people without compromising our sound or integrity I can’t see any reason why not. We make music so it can be heard, it’s as simple as that. Not everyone from all the various metal communities are going to like it of course but maybe some will. There’s certainly no harm in having your music heard by as many people as possible as long as you’re not changing in order to do so. I think we’ve been very consistent with what we’ve put out, stylistically speaking…so, rest assured, for us to change now isn’t something that’s likely to happen.
Dr.Doom: To me it’s still unreal that some Doom fans today haven’t heard of PALE DIVINE. With all the changes in the lineup and long breaks between the records would you say that PALE DIVINE’s greatest demon are themselves? Darin: Yeah, I suppose you could say we are our own worst enemy in some ways…and on the other hand it’s still a bit curious considering the amount of time we’ve been together…but, on the other hand we don’t go around crying about it either. On the upshot, I do see the word “legendary” associated with our name though from time to time, which is really flattering of course, but I’m not quite sure what qualifies “lengendary” status….obscurity maybe? Haha…but as far as popularity or name recognition it depends on who you’re talking to. Generally, I suppose that the same reasons you pointed out are contributing factors. The long absences between recordings, lack of touring, lineup changes etc. all contribute to that but I also think that in some ways it’s kind of hard to pigeon-hole our sound to just strictly doom, there’s a bit of straightforward heavy metal, classic rock and dare I say – progressive rock as well that’s all part of the mix.
More recently, one could even argue that lacking a significant amount of “flash” or “gimmick” as well perhaps contributes to a “certain” amount of alienation…for instance, we don’t prescribe to the “occult” trappings that it seems many bands in this genre as of late are adopting as their image and that seems to be somewhat of a detriment these days. Certain bands seem to come out of nowhere, play a show or two and record an album and emerge as a phenomena of sorts and it’s a bit of an anomaly. While other bands in this genre have really worked their asses off and toured extensively and consistently followed up recording after recording more frequently, so in that instance, who can argue. Truthfully…and I mean this…It’s really never been about a popularity contest…we just do what we do an we’re VERY appreciative to have an audience that supports us – big or small…it doesn’t matter. Sincerely, it’s mind-blowing to have people so enthusiastic about what we do and it truly IS what keeps us going!
Dr.Doom: Through your long journey with PALE DIVINE you had the opportunity to meet and work with huge names of the doom and heavy metal scene! Of all the people you’ve met who would you describe as the most gifted personality? Darin: Oh, in all fairness it’s difficult to single out anyone in particular but yeah, we’ve definitely been fortunate enough to be in the company or had the capacity to work with certain individuals who were really inspirational…and by the same token others…well, maybe not so much, haha. All in all though it’s been a pretty exciting ride and worth every second!
Dr.Doom: A lot of things have changed in the Doom scene since PALE DIVINE was originally formed. Do you believe that things are easier for a new band now than it was 15 years ago? Also what is your personal opinion about the direction the scene has taken lately? Darin: I wouldn’t say it’s “easier” but there are definitely more resources available. We used to write letters and send printed flyers out back when we started now of course with the internet and the various blogs and online resources available i would say that it’s certainly more convenient and if someone is willing to put forth the effort to get their message across there are a lot more options available now.Which truthfully, is a good thing. It makes it easier for people to find more music. Do I look back with nostalgia on the days when I would wait for those brown mailers to arrive in my mailbox from the band that I read about in a printed fanzine that I had to order from someone in Germany…absolutely, haha…but time marches on.
Dr.Doom: Do you listen to contemporary Doom? Are there any newer bands you have discovered and liked lately? Darin: Sure do! I like Lord Vicar a lot…Pallbearer are really cool, Pilgrim is another band I happened across recently that sound really cool. So yeah, there’s some exciting stuff coming out….and you know, I’ll always be a fan.
Dr.Doom: Now this is perhaps the most important question of the whole interview for me! Are there any plans for touring in Europe. Darin: Plans? No…no yet. We’ve talked about it and without revealing too much it’s highly probable that we WILL return very soon. Let’s hope it happens because we’re ready and it sure has been a long time!
Dr.Doom: O.K. this is it for me! If you have something to say before we close…. Darin: Well, on behalf of Greg and I thanks to you and the readers for continuing support! I hope everyone who buys a copy of ‘Painted Windows Black’ considers it worth the wait!!
P.S.: Make sure to hit the Like button on their Facebook page as the band promised to upload the entire “Chemical Decline” demo (which includes unreleased early versions of “Painted Windows Black”, “Angel of Mercy”, “Black Coven” as well as the unreleased track “Chemical Decline”) for free when hit count reaches about 1200! A promise is a promise…
This was actually a very hard album to review. On one hand, there are so many things to say for an album of the magnitude of “Sorrow and Extinction” that it’s virtually impossible not to be unfair to it. On the other hand, what “Sorrow and Extinction” means to me might be a totally different thing to you. Without doubt we are dealing with a great piece of art here.
I would say, on a very solid base of melancholy the band draws on a musical canvas with mainly dark feelings as its tools, yet, the result might seem brighter or darker, Doom or simply Heavy Metal depending mostly from the point of view of the listener.
In this review I will try to focus on the “earthly” aspects of the album and leave the supernatural ones to discover yourselves!
First of all, Brett Campbell has a truly charismatic voice which requires many book chapters and Wikipedia pages to be fully analyzed. He combines the classic tone of some popular Doom voices of the past with the sorrowful aura of the Doom that bloomed in the 90’s. On top of that he contributes with bits and pieces of his own very personal sense of the term passion.
Riffs move somewhere along the lines of a typical Funeral Doom band. The first thought I made when “Sorrow and Extinction” ended was that Pallbearer are basically a Funeral Doom band without growls. And what is the dominant feeling in most Funeral Doom compositions? “Sorrow and Extinction” has the word “Sorrow” written all over it! Not just the title! Since the voice has nothing to do with growls bands like WARNING, GRIFTEGARD, and 40 WATT SUN are just popping into my head right now. Hhhm… close but not quite.
Then of course we have the amazing lead guitar which is a whole different topic. Through the lengthy solos the band pays tribute to Greg Mackintosh from PARADISE LOST in the most flattering way possible. Indeed, here you will find some of the most melancholic solos since “Draconian Times”.
I think that PALLBEARER will never get comfortable with a single tag like Doom although their material is Doom more than anything else. “Foreigner” main riff for instance has some folk influences and gives a clear epic vision to the album. At the same time “The Legend” (the best track of the album in my opinion) may have something of the progressive flavor WHILE HEAVEN WEPT usually add to their albums. Despite the lengthy compositions the songs remain approachable, like Serenades-era ANATHEMA albums. Clearly, this is an album for all friends of heavy music.
Without doubt you will love this record right from the start! Yet, it will require a lot of time to really appreciate all its glory! Forget about retro Rock, or 70’s Doom etc. PALLBEARER is leading Doom to new paths and let me tell you the future looks dark…but isn’t this the best possible scenario for the followers of the genre?
SPELLJAMMER is a new band from Sweden and with their second EP entitled, “Vol II”, the 4-piece proves that it can move higher than the already high standards of their homeland. Indeed, SPELLJAMMER is not another one of those great Swedish bands. Their music aims right for the top!
“Inches from the Sun” the band’s first EP sounded like ACID KING covering KYUSS in weird way. The band’s flavor of Stoner/Desert Rock was unique and their style sounded at least interesting. Normally, someone would expect from SPELLJAMMER to work and further evolve the style of that EP. Yet, “Vol II” signifies a drastic shift towards the dark side of Doom. Personally, I couldn’t see this coming. Their style now is closer to the very familiar territories of ELECTRIC WIZARD. I know that a lot of you may resent this particular style lately since this approach is over-replicated but trust me on this one! The quality is so rewarding that personally I am totally indifferent about the lack of originality.
The vocals remind no else than Jus Oborn himself especially that of “Come my Fanatics” era. But this not the only element that reminds ELECTRIC WIZARD. The bone crashing weight of the guitars is another similarity and this is where the band really excels! I particularly liked the transition from the quiet parts to the more heavy ones, (listen to in the first track you will know what I mean). Actually, the whole production is amazing and this is no surprise as the name of Billy Anderson is included on the credits.
The small length of the EP (three tracks only) is the sole drawback of this perfect release. Needless to say that if you are a fan of ELECTRIC WIZARD or just a fan of traditional slow and heavy Doom, you just HAVE to check this band out. Destined for greatness…
P.S. As always art of Gustave Doré couples perfectly with any great Doom release. I consider him as the official Doom Metal artist.
It’s been a long time seen I discovered a Doom band that can play sloooow, heavy, dark Doom…the serious kind of Doom. If you take a look at Pilgrim’s “Misery Wizard” cover art you will probably see some similarities with some REVEREND BIZARRE’s covers. Now, if I remember correctly REVEREND BIZARRE is (was) the band that knows how to play like that. Let me tell you, the similarities don’t stop in the covers of course. 
