Lay My Soul to Waste, the sophomore effort from Brooklyn’s A Pale Horse Named Death, has been eagerly anticipated in the metal and goth/doom world. And Hell Will Follow Me, their first, is a classic and was very well received by new fans and Type O Negative fans alike. Sal Abruscato, the original Type O Negative drummer, has done very well in creating a sound and sub-genre.
I am a huge fan of And Hell Will Follow Me. I am a huge fan of Type O Negative. A Pale Horse Named Death‘s churning, sludgy, doomy, bass-heavy sound – teamed with Alice In Chains-esque harmonies – creates a vibe so evil that it may bring you nightmares for months to come! Abruscato‘s vocals have taken a big step forward, and the harmonies with guitarist Matt Brown are hypnotic. As a band, Sal, Matt, guitarist Eddie Heedles, drummer Johnny Kelly and new bassist Dave Bizzigotti have tightened, matured, and become more pissed off. The subject matter is dark, depressing and evil, covering aspects of everything from killing your ex to drug abuse to selling your soul.
Unless you have been sleeping under a rock, you have already heard “Shallow Grave.” It has been a Sirius XM Liquid Metal favorite for a few weeks now. The bass line chugs along at a moderate pace, and the drums are clear and heavy. The mix and production are superb. Sal’s voice has a certain early Sabbath-like sound to it. It is an ass-kicker.
“The Needle in You” and “Killer By Night” follow the same formula with hypnotic vocals and catchy choruses. “Devil Came With A Smile” actually reminds me of some older Marilyn Manson tunes; it’s abrasive and in-your-face. “DMSLT” is a bit more melodic, but it still continues the dark brutality. “Dead of Winter,” “Day of the Storm,” and “Cold Dark Mourning” are the songs that take me back to the early days of Type O Negative. They are slow, dark and full of everything doom metal is supposed to be.
A Pale Horse Named Death have created a masterpiece here. It has been a great year for metal, and this is my choice for album of the year so far. Somewhere, in a darkened room with a small green light, Peter Steele is smiling down on his old friends …
Lay My Soul to Waste is out now on SteamHammer/SPV Records.
Rating: 5/5 Stars
