Music / Reviews
Review: Pallbearer, Fleece
Despite suffering the indignity of having their name misspelled on the gig publicity, Halifax doomsters Godthrymm seem as delighted to be here as the genre’s mandatory glumness will permit. A mini-supergroup comprising former members of the likes of My Dying Bride and Vallenfyre, the trio aren’t exactly breaking new ground so much as celebrating their heritage, having been re-energised by the ongoing success of the headliners. With just one EP under their belt, they’re an unknown quantity to most of us but swiftly make good on their promise to deliver “heartfelt, crushing riffs and a melancholic sense of dread”. Affable, splendidly named founder Hamish Hamilton Glencross (he’s Scottish, you know) proves equally adept at riffage and grandiose solos, while newest recruit Danny Lambert is a school-of-Ozzy vocalist of some distinction. They conclude their brief, well received set with the epic A Grand Reclamation, which suggests they have a bright if none-too-cheerful future ahead of them.
Arkansas prog-doomsters Pallbearer were last in Bristol at the Thekla a little over a year ago. Since then, they’re released just the one new song (Dropout, aired tonight) but this swift-ish return seems justified given the increased turnout tonight. Clearly, many are still catching up with the non-prolific (three albums in ten years) quartet who’ve displayed a laudable willingness to venture beyond the doom comfort zone in search of inspiration, securing crossover appeal and a modicum of approving mainstream media coverage. Having tuned up to the strains of the Louvin Brothers’ cheesemongous gospel classic Satan is Real, they launch into Watcher in the Dark from 2014’s Foundations of Burden album, and these road-hardened musicians’ growth in confidence as performers is immediately apparent, with guitarist Brett Campbell hurling himself about the stage in defiance of heads-down doom standards.
The brisk Thorns and contemplative 12-minute Dancing in Madness from Pallbearer’s third and finest album Heartless demonstrate why they’re now drawing in adventurous proggers who don’t take the view that all progressive rock should sound exactly like Genesis, circa 1972. These are rich, complex and powerful songs that whisk doom metal into uncharted territory without betraying its roots. And it really begins to soar when Campbell and bassist Joseph Rowland join forces for harmony vocals. Indeed, if there’s a criticism to be made of tonight’s show it is that they air rather too little of that breakthrough album, mildly disappointing those of us who had hoped for its proggiest wig-out, A Plea for Understanding.
is needed now More than ever
But – hey – we get crowd favourite Foreigner from their debut and Rowland enquires whether we want to hear some slow stuff (you really don’t need to ask that of doom audience, fella) before welcoming back Hamish Glencross to provide additional guitar heft to Given to the Grave and Devoid of Redemption from that same album. Having transcended the genre pigeonhole and built an ever-growing fan base, it’ll be fascinating to see just how far Pallbearer can take this thrilling, uncompromising and genuinely progressive music. They’ve certainly set the bar pretty damn high for musical fellow travellers Elder, who play here in October.
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