Description

2012 re-issue Classic occult doom nwobhm band from London. Written in 1982, Re-recorded and released officially for the first time ever in 2004. How to describe the sound of Pagan Altar? Although they were part of the NWOBHM movement of the early 80s, their music is really unlike any other band of that period. In a basic sense we have a combination of doomy riffs with elements of traditional metal, but also with a very epic feel that can be largely attributed to vocalist Terry Jones. His unique nasal vocals fit in with the album perfectly, and contribute greatly in giving a sense of emotion to the songs. The album itself is partially a concept album about nuclear annihilation, but on a larger scale speaks more generally about Mankind's hypocrisy and inhumanity to his fellow man. It really is impossible to pick out any particular song as the highlight: the whole album works as a coherent whole, with a perfect blend of aggressive tracks and softer interludes. Also, there is absolutely no filler to be found here! Apart from the unique vocals of Terry Jones, the one thing that really sets Pagan Altar above the rest of the competition is their superb lyrics. Many of the tracks here are really not just songs, but also poems… and good ones at that! What other metal bands can you think of whose songs would include verses like: ‘A silent world of shapeless things, of torn and twisted form / Man sits amid the wreckage, waiting vainly for the dawn / The glory of Man has come and gone / A broken shattered dream / The only sound to rend the air / Is a stifled, choking scream’. And it's all topped of by the wonderful, classy guitar work of Alan Jones, who shows that soloing with emotion will beat mindless shredding any day of the week. The bottom line of the review is that this album will completely blow you away. So get hold of it as soon as humanly possible! Track listing: 1. The Lords Of Hypocrisy 2. Satans Henchmen 3. Sentinels Of Hate 4. Armageddon 5. The Interlude 6. The Aftermath 7. The Masquerade 8. The Devil Came Down To Brockley 9. March Of The Dead