Pale Mare - EP II

Pale Mare - EP II

Seeing Red Records - April 2020

Sludge, thrash, doom

Rated: *****

Following up their barnburner of a debut EP in 2017, Toronto trio Pale Mare bring the aggression and up the ante with EP II. The Canadians meld sludge, thrash, and doom to build a caustic and furious sound that's akin to a more varied High on Fire, and is both carefully crafted and utterly relentless. Opener "House of War" hits the ground running with an avalanche of riffs and grimy, chunky low end, somehow catchy while throwing in neck-snapping breaks. About halfway through, the tune shifts to an instrumental section of eerie atmospherics and soaring guitar, and this is where Pale Mare show they haven't been sitting on their laurels since EP I. Longer, somewhat subdued (by their standards) passages of doom and tension building instrumentation are peppered throughout the album, working to build loads of tension and mood while still maintaining the trio's blood-pumping sense of heavy. With this powerful addition to their arsenal, the sludgers proceed on a scorched earth assault through the rest of the release. "Zealot" feels ready to explode at any second with manic riffs and battering drums giving no respite, while "Voidgazer" is out for blood with a hammering wall of sound. Closer "Remains" deals in massive doom and Sleep-like bounce, bringing the tracks to a fittingly crushing end. Pale Mare have outdone themselves on their second effort, taking their signature uncompromising sound and expanding on it with layers of well-constructed atmosphere. The result is four raging epics that will demand and consume your attention.

(Written by Shasta Beest)

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