This is my first Pallbearer album. Oh, I knew the name and genre of the band, but I never took the time to listen. After hearing this new album, though, I want to hear all of their records. The new one is called Mind Burns Alive, and it released on May 17th through Nuclear Blast.
Pallbearer are a doom metal band, but their sound is changing and becoming more dynamic. I know this album took some fans by surprise, judging from social media reactions, which is why I was interested in the first place. As much as I love doom metal, I love dynamic doom metal even more. The lineup on this album is Brett Campbell on vocals, guitar, and synth; Devin Holt on backing vocals and guitar; Joseph D. Rowland on vocals, bass, and synth; and Mark Lierly on drums and percussion.
The band still has a distinctly doom tone, I should assure you. They still have the melancholy sound, downtempo rhythms, elongated riffs, and so on. But this album feels much more alive because it contrasts those things with bright punches of melody, progressive ideas, and excellent vocal lines. They do love a good slowburn, but the payoffs are always great and will get your head moving.
I think the song “Signals” is a good example of this. The song sounds like doom and it has a slow-burning character that is both sorrowful and pleasant. But at various times in the song, the band throws in vocal lines that bend upwards or in the general direction one might not expect for doom, and so the song is elevated and emotional in multiple ways.
For me, the first half of the album is clearly the best, though the whole album is great. This is because the first three tracks, including the aforementioned “Signals”, are more dynamic and varied than the final three, which lean more into traditional doom. The album begins with one of my favorite songs of the year, “Where the Light Fades”; this piece is haunting and expressive, especially in its opening moments of vocal reflection and well-written lyrics. I love how the song progresses and eventually hits a riffing climax that is extremely satisfying. The title track comes next, and is just as good. I like how nuanced the main guitar licks are, as they weave and flow with nostalgic and personable phrasing. I think the quiet interlude in the middle is highly appropriate, and the solo that breaks out near the end is the icing on the cake.
The second half is wonderful. It begins with “Endless Place”, a doom song through and through that features dirty saxophone and quiet moments of guitar musing; I love when the sax breaks out and the song peals with emotion and urgency. “Daybreak” follows and has an interesting structure; it takes a few minutes to get going, giving us subtle guitar and vocals for the first part of the song. It is effective because of the contrast that is created with the riffy bombast that arises and the soul of the twin guitar attack that ends it. The closer is “With Disease” and it is a ten-minute track of doom character. It has some anger in it, but also maybe the catchiest chorus on the album. That one is growing on me.
Pallbearer have my attention. I love doom metal, but I love when doom bands try new things and find their own sound. Mind Burns Alive has plenty of that, and even listeners who don’t know the doom genre should find something to love here. Believe me, this album has some moments you won’t soon forget.
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