Pagan Altar: The Time Lord (review)

Pagan Altar  (U.K.): The Time Lord  

The quick version of a long story:

Pagan Altar is a New Wave of British Heavy Metal doom band that is amongst the least known of bands that recorded full albums. According to Metal Archives, their debut “Volume 1” was released in 1998, but it was recorded in 1982. To what extent, the songs were re-recorded, or repaired or whatnot, that is unclear.

If you like classic doom, I high recommend Pagan Altar, as they are definitely a good band and their albums “Volume 1,” “The Lords of Hypocrisy,” and “Mythical & Magical” are very worthy of your time, if you enjoy classic doom proper. Quite simply, Pagan Altar will make you angry that you have not heard about them and you have been missing out, big time, on their doom metal.

Now, about this EP called “The Time Lord”: Metal Archives says that these songs were recorded in 1978-79.

Can you believe that?! Again, I don’t know how much they have restored or re-recorded the songs. This zine has sent them an interview asking them about this matter, but the band has not responded. At any rate, it sounds incredible that the band has been sitting on this material since 1978.

What is believable is this: This instantly sounds like classic doom because it is: their appreciation for Black Sabbath’s first four albums is clearly heard on here, alongside other classic, early heavy metal sounds, such as Deep Purple and Led Zeppelin, and just a general vibe and attitude in favor of classic 70s heaviness. The guitar solos are done with feeling, the rhythm section rocks these songs, and the riffs are classic doom all the way through. The vocals are not “air raid siren,” but rather have a grit to them, a charm, if you will, with a slight quirk to them, so that it sounds like Pagan Altar.

This release is five songs and it is over 30 minutes. It has banging moments, melancholic, space rock moments, moody passages, classic rocking metal shades, and very English classic metal episodes.

The sound quality is very good, perfect for the style. Pagan Altar is must for fans of “ye olde metal” as the critic Martin Popoff would maybe say. www.paganaltar.co.uk