From the river of Lake Ontario and near the Niagara Falls, we find a band as massive as the water falling down from those creeks. From Hamilton, Canada, Pale Horse Ritual releases their first full-length album on Black Throne Productions, named Diabolic Formations.
At the end of November, Pale Horse Ritual released a fuzz-driven record, that evokes the occult and psychedelic atmospheres of 1970s Doom. The quartet has crafted a record which, despite not aiming to bring anything new, celebrates its roots in an excellent way.
This album has strong references to Black Sabbath with its psychedelic and dark sounds. Despite the references, the music has a modern sound, resulting in an engaging wrapping experience. A variety of compositions can be found, ranging from more aggressive moments to more acoustic and ethereal ones. In the tradition of Doom Metal, the tracks are a journey into the darkness: from the first to the last track all the songs are permeated by a dark and solemn aura.
The first track of the record is “Deflowered”, which welcomes us with a growing oppressive sound and makes us understand perfectly what kind of atmosphere we should expect from this album. This track is inspired by horror movies, with slow riffs and clouds of smoke accompany us throughout its duration.
“Wickedness” starts with a sinister organ and an atmospheric pad, while out of the blue a guitar starts playing a catchy riff. When the verse begins we can hear a really strong reference, and I bet you will do too. Then comes “Holy Lies”, where the massive fuzz prompts our head to move; this song features a more melodic vocal line than the others, while maintaining the heaviness we have encountered so far.
Precisely halfway through this album we find “Save You”, an acoustic ballad which doesn’t seem random at this point. The lyrics also seem more emotional than on the previous songs, but without abandoning the veil of darkness that ties the whole album together: “The weight is too much load to carry / The weight it just pulls you down / Wish I could be there to save you, the voices in your head”.
After a short rest from from these fuzzy sound, we find “Bloody Demons”. A strong Rock’n’Roll spirit emanates from this song, and maybe another reference could be heard during the refrain.
Then comes “D.E.D”, with its fierce, vintage, repetitive and corrosive sound. This track probably has the strongest connection to the band’s inspirations: an organ in the background accompanies the aggressiveness of modern distortions of the guitars. Reading the lyrics, it might seem that this is a liberation from the oppression and the darkness found until now, ended due to death: “So long I am departed now / Passed on I’m in the milky way / At peace feel so light and free / Timeless no need to worry now”.
Reaching “A Beautiful End” we are told the gothic tale of a love story between a man and a vampiress. A dramatic organ emphasises the sermon of the Italian priest, almost incomprehensible in his words.
In the end we can say that Diabolic Formation is a celebration of Doom and all the dark imagery that has accompanied it from the 1970s to the present day. Despite all of that, it`s an interesting album that is ideal listening for those looking for Doom/Stoner with strong influences from the past, certainly more evocative than innovative.
