Pallbearer - Heartless (Nuclear Blast) 2017
8
There’s an inherent irony in Pallbearer calling anything they’ve laid their paws on Heartless – there are few more emotional bands in modern doom and on their third full-length, they take their feelings out on a more wide-reaching scale, targeting the ills of the world with gusto, charm and glacier-splitting volume.
A truly expansive outing in every sense, it demonstrates a huge forward leap in Brett Campbells vocals, a rich and plaintive wail that stacks up well against their burgeoning trade in AOR-worthy soloing, but while it’s an admirably catchy listen, there’s little attempt to disguise their underground roots, from the gang-vocal punch of “Cruel Road” to the unabashed ferocity of “Dancing In Madness”.
Whether you’ve signed up for a good hook, some quality proto-metal chuggery or just a long, bleak ride, this wont fail to raise a crooked smile on your face.