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Releasing their absolutely astounding new record Heartless in February, Pallbearer have run the gamut for album of the year. Expanding on their already wonderous horizons, the soundscapes of Heartless recall a nod to the classic era of the seventies but why do people forever associate Pallbearer with Doom and not Prog?
Realisation can be an incredibly powerful tool. Often seen as a double edged sword, the understanding can be incredibly positive yet also detrimental. The fragility of life itself is often something humans forget, with work goals and all sorts of small picture ideals clouding our judgement to what truly matters. Thinking it was nothing, Pain of Salvation‘s Daniel Gildenlöw was brought to the hospital to be told he had contracted a flesh eating virus. In an instant, current ideas began to pale into comparison when faced with his own mortality. Triumphing over adversity Gildenlöw bested the virus. Pooling his creative energies into the long standing Pain of Salvation, the band have delivered one of the most honest and truly heartfelt records in recent years. Bringing their In The Passing Light Of Day tour to London, the band begin their triumphant new chapter at Islington’s Assembly Halls.
War in the modern world is an ever changing entity. Though it’s sentiment remains the same, it’s means change with the times. With this in mind, Thrash Metal and all of it’s totalitarian prophecies has never been more pertinent. Leaders of the new movement of Modern Thrash the charge is led by Havok, whilst biting at their heels is Warbringer. Embarking on an extensive European tour together the two Teutonic bands bring with them support in the form of Exmortus, the Death Metal come Thrash Metal virtuosos and French Gorod.
There comes a time once a year when the musical world is rallied together for a unanimous decision on greatness. Recently signing to Nuclear Blast, Pallbearer unveil their third slab of quasi Doom Prog for our listening pleasure. Blurring the lines between the two genres Heartless is as much expansive as it is devastatingly heavy. Being back on UK Pallbearer make their musical pilgrimmage after longer than we would have liked along in a what looks like sold out Underworld.
A mainstay in the ever evolving world of Metal, Thrash has very much, belligerently stuck to its roots. Inspired by the atrocities committed by the common man, war is a central theme to the genre. With time being it’s ally War adapts to the use of technology often to devastating effect. Releasing their brand new album Woe To The Vanquished, Warbringer explore these themes and more but when I sat down with John Kevill I certainly got more than just a history lesson!
No doubt one of the most talked about events of March, the grand opening of Crypt of The Wizard has been at the tip of everyone’s tongues over the last couple of weeks so I decided to check it out!
Like two pals who share similar yet entirely different tastes in music our Wayne and Garth of the festival world, Bloodstock and Download cater to different breeds of Metal fan. For the more mainstream approach look to the hallowed fields of Donington. However for the extreme, precise nature of Bloodstock is comparable to the more well rounded nature of Download. Perhaps not booking the likes of Aerosmith et al, instead Bloodstock is the perfect platform to truly elevate its bands to an untouchable level.
Admittedly being a bit late on the Haken train, I did feel a bit odd about being amongst 100’s of dedicated fans to celebrate 10 years of being on top of the British Progressive metal chain. It was ever so welcoming though, and an equally monumental London performance.