01. Foreigner 02. Devoid Of Redemption 03. The Legend 04. An Offering Of Grief 05. Given To The Grave
And here we have a nice post-modern piece of doom metal. This piece was written and recorded by a quartet from Little Rock, Arkansas named Pallbearer. It was released in the early months of 2012. They say this beautiful piece was created with the mindset that all is lost, and that hope is a pointless fallacy. They say that all your dreams fade away as soon as you take a listen, your aspirations to achieve, your hopes of a better life, with a new career and a family. They say all of that disappears.
Everything they say is true.
This slab of traditional doom took up base, swung, and shot all of my expectations out of the park. The first acoustic intro shows the listener what the rest of the album will achieve. The emptiness and slow notes bring to life the thoughts of sadness that the musicians feel every day. The first riff crashes in like the waves of a tsunami. The heaviness combined with a sorrowful melody creates an atmosphere unmatched by anything I've heard in a very, very long time.
The entire album continues in this fashion. A variety of riffs, that range from slow, heavy chugs that hit like a freight train, to vibrato solos and melodies that kill my soul (in a good, doom way). Fuzzy bass brings a warm feeling to the sound, like the numbness that sets in after you've been out in the cold too long. This is all aided by the wonderful voice of Brett Campbell. His voice fits the music perfectly, like Cinderella and her glass slipper; the woeful vocals add another level to this already down and depressing combination.
This is definitely one that should be on your 2012 lists people. Get at it.
If you like Warning, then you'll probably like the demo:
Ahhhh, I get it now, the EP has some songs that were re-recorded for the LP.
Yeah forget it, 95% of times this is done people are going to prefer the first version they listened to. That Gloomy Sunday version is really nice though.
Ahhhh, I get it now, the EP has some songs that were re-recorded for the LP.
Yeah forget it, 95% of times this is done people are going to prefer the first version they listened to. That Gloomy Sunday version is really nice though.
Yeah I really like that Gloomy Sunday cover. But yeah, the sound and approach on the demo is much more my thing really.
I actually haven't heard the demo, but found the album to be a poorer version of Watching From A Distance or 40 Watt Sun, and didn't enjoy it as much as I could've from that contrast. Good review though, and I'll definately give the demo a listen.
Seems I'm one of the few who heard the Demo first & still enjoyed this album.
Although I freely admit the Demo did blow this out of the water & it is a little disappointing they didn't keep the same sound for their debut, it was still a very strong release that ranks highly as one of my favourite doom releases of 2012.
----
"FUCK!!! You're the fucking 5th person asking me in an interview about the woman in the bathtub?The problem is that I AM the fucking person in the bathtub, and I AM a fucking MAN, for fuck's sake! I hate you all!" ~ Herr Morbid
I love this album. I didn't listen to the demo so I can't comment on that but this is very satisfying. And it grabbed me since the first listen, which is not common for a doom release.
Haven't heard the demo myself but this album was extremely frustrating for me, "Devoid Of Redemption" is probably my favourite doom track from this year but the rest of the album doesn't come close to it. Most of it is outright boring for me unfortunately.
Probably one of the biggest disappointments of the year especially when you've heard the demo before this. Plus they left the best song on the demo off this one. And also the production stiffles this release A LOT
---- Member of the true crusade against European Flower Metal
Yesterday is dead and gone, tomorrow is out of sight
Dawn Crosby (r.i.p.)
05.04.1963 - 15.12.1996
That said, I like this thing more and more every time I listen to it. Kinda sounds like Asunder mixed with Warning's Watching From a Distance. Haven't heard the demo though.
I loved it, albums like this one raise my interest in doom music. And I didn't hear the demo as well, am I going to dislike it if I check it out?
If you like Warning, then you'll probably like the demo:
The only major change i noticed was that the sound is at a lower frequency on the album, with the demo being a higher frequency. Overall, not a huge difference to me one sounds more beefy, one sounds more tinny - either way, it's the same good song to me.
I love this album, it's right up there with my other favourites - it did take a few listens though.
Probably one of the biggest disappointments of the year especially when you've heard the demo before this. Plus they left the best song on the demo off this one. And also the production stiffles this release A LOT
You must have fallen in love with the demo haha. I have had this happen before too, as someone said above, you fall in love with the version you hear first most of the time. I listened to Gloomy Sunday, and it's a good song, though i prefer the first two songs off the album over it.
In regard to the production, i think the album works fine both ways. It's nowhere near as bad as 40 Watt Suns over-the-top distortion. I love that album, but the production took away a bit for me.
The only major change i noticed was that the sound is at a lower frequency on the album, with the demo being a higher frequency. Overall, not a huge difference to me one sounds more beefy, one sounds more tinny - either way, it's the same good song to me.
I love this album, it's right up there with my other favourites - it did take a few listens though.
Well production and sounds usually makes or breaks an album for me. In fact I think it does to more people than is generally realised, but that's a topic for elsewhere.
The only major change i noticed was that the sound is at a lower frequency on the album, with the demo being a higher frequency. Overall, not a huge difference to me one sounds more beefy, one sounds more tinny - either way, it's the same good song to me.
I love this album, it's right up there with my other favourites - it did take a few listens though.
Well production and sounds usually makes or breaks an album for me. In fact I think it does to more people than is generally realised, but that's a topic for elsewhere.
Fair enough. I would agree with your point though, i just don't feel the change in production made the songs any better or worse (i've listened to them all both now). Niles new album is an example of poor production destroying the potentially good music. I simply cannot listen to it because of it. I guess the biggest benefit to the demo versions is the vocal atmosphere stands out a bit more, where the album version seems to focus on the bone crunching riffs.
I thought this was a great album. It didn't hit me immediately, but it was a grower. The production and vocals could have been better, and it doesn't quite maintain the quality of its best tracks, but it's still a high 3,5/5 for me.
But yeah: even if I didn't hear the demo beforehand, it's frustrating to feel this could have been better. Judging by their riffs and vocal melodies, they have the potential to become truly exceptional.
This album is overrated. Not that good. Too much hype about it.
I actually agree with you. But will call the album good, although not great or as good as most people make it out to be.
Every time I listen to it I love it, but then I go and listen to Gloomy Sunday and realize just how good Pallbearer can be and how this album does not display that good-"ness" fully
This album is overrated. Not that good. Too much hype about it.
I actually agree with you. But will call the album good, although not great or as good as most people make it out to be.
Every time I listen to it I love it, but then I go and listen to Gloomy Sunday and realize just how good Pallbearer can be and how this album does not display that good-"ness" fully
you got to remember that Gloomy Sunday is of course a cover and not a Pallbearer song proper
---- Member of the true crusade against European Flower Metal
Yesterday is dead and gone, tomorrow is out of sight
Dawn Crosby (r.i.p.)
05.04.1963 - 15.12.1996
you got to remember that Gloomy Sunday is of course a cover and not a Pallbearer song proper
Of course I realize that, but yet it remains the song I enjoy most. Their ability to take a Billie Holiday song and turn it into what they did is rather impressive (not that the song was originally cherry or anything)