Album Type: Full Length
Date Released: 17/04/2019
Label: Temple of Mystery
Simply put, this is a classic recording
and one that shaped the genre and continues to do so all these decades after it
was laid down on tape. Masterful.
“Judgement
of the Dead” CD//DD//LP track listing:
1. Pagan Altar
2. In the Wake of Armadeus
3. Judgement of the Dead
4. The Black Mass
5. Night Rider
6. The Dance of the Banshee
7. Reincarnation
2. In the Wake of Armadeus
3. Judgement of the Dead
4. The Black Mass
5. Night Rider
6. The Dance of the Banshee
7. Reincarnation
The Review:
There
is not that much that can be written about Pagan Altar that has not already been written.
To summarise, they are regarded as one of the first doom metal bands and one of
the most influential- despite being NWOBHM in origin and not releasing an
official album until the millennium that followed the NWOBHM boom.
“Judgement
of the Dead”,
then, is their earliest work in remastered form which first saw the (official)
light of day decades after being recorded as a top end demo. Armed with that
knowledge, it is up to the listener to decide what they are listening to;
charmingly lo-fi lightning in a bottle which planted seeds still growing today
or amateurish and crude heavy metal which would be perfected at a much later
date.
For
me, there is something about “Judgement of the Dead” which lends
itself to the former description. There can be no argument that the “Mythical
and Magical” and “Room of Shadows” are amongst the
best doom albums ever put out, but the murky production here may be too much
for some to overlook.
With
that debate set out, we can now focus on what is here: an unmistakably English
vibe, a father and son at the heart of the band and a very eccentric set of
songs. Viewed through the lens of the early 80s, this must have been very
unusual indeed; satanic invocations, occult themes, crashing chords and huge
riffs of plodding slowness. Terry Jones' plaintive wail is present and correct
and the guitar work has been emulated countless times since.
From
the opening of the band's titular theme song to the lengths of some of the
songs themselves, you can tell this is simply not standard early 80s metal
fare. The gulf between this and other metal of the time is huge. If the title
track brings the epic feel, then “Night
Rider” brings the swinging feel utilised so effectively by Sabbath,
Trouble
and even Saint
Vitus. The acoustic “The
Dance of the Banshee” is a welcome interlude before the epic closer “Reincarnation” (recorded much later
than the bulk of this release).
That
the origins of Pagan
Altar are so murky and mysterious only adds to their allure- they
were there at the start but only came to prominence after years of their legend
building up by word of mouth. Where “Judgement of the Dead” fits in their
discography is hard to say. Their latter day material is so imperious that it
is hard to compare this nascent effort in any meaningful way- a little like
comparing Priest's
“Rocka
Rolla” to “Firepower”.
Pagan Altar are essential to any doom
fan, so this is essential too. Don't expect crystal clear sound and mixing par
excellence, but do expect to hear a uniqueness and an arcane vibe from which
you can draw a direct correlation to all the best doom bands operating today.
Simply put, this is a classic recording and one that shaped the genre and
continues to do so all these decades after it was laid down on tape. Masterful.
“Judgement
of the Dead”
is available HERE
