At some point, sooner or later, a band comes around that just blows the minds of those who hear with greatness all but destined for the act in question. The list of appropriate names is sure to go on and on depending on who you're talking to, but there are sure to be constants coming back up time and again should you persist. When it comes to doom metal in recent times, Pallbearer is absolutely a name that always crops up on a constant basis. Much like their contemporaries like Monolord, Pallbearer's trajectory has only seen them gone up with time. Their sound has evolved to make them one of the more complex and compelling acts in the whole of doom as the years have gone on with many wondering what else the band is capable of. Pulling back to show us a deeper and somehow even more evocative side to their sound, Pallbearer's fifth is one we won't soon forget.
While I've always found myself more of a fan of this band's earlier work, there's not much that I can deny when it comes to their newer material for all that it dares to be and manages to achieve despite how tricky the balance can be for any band out there. Despite the odds and challenges that they put before themselves, Pallbearer always manages to come out on top and impress at damn near every given turn. Their fifth record sees them continue that trend of dominance, but it's in focusing on the smaller moments between the very synapses of the human soul that "Mind Burns Alive" is able to quickly grow into a somber yet hopeful piece that sees Pallbearer's sound travel down invigorating paths. Still more than capable of bursting forth with immense energy and power on a scale that is simply mesmerizing to behold, Pallbearer still proves to be an act that's not to be underestimated one bit. The six tracks of "Mind Burns Alive" is not afraid whatsoever to peel apart the human consciousness itself as serenity, despair, peace, self-loathing, and far more are dissected and examined in pain-staking detail through calm periods reminiscent of classic doom while passages that can only be likened to progressive rock build us back up to back us on our feet once more to bear witness to the trademark style of doom metal that Pallbearer has become all but known for.
Apart, each track of this record are gorgeous pieces that have immense weight in every second. Together, however, "Mind Burns Alive" is an utterly titanic performance that has so much going for it that words can hardly do it justice. A creation that's sonically and emotionally heavy in all regards, Pallbearer has done nothing but deliver yet again to make "Mind Burns Alive" a work that is more than deserving of the reputation that Pallbearer has earned after showing naught but mastery and dominance since their fateful debut twelve years ago.
LISTEN to "Mind Burns Alive" on Bandcamp here.
LIKE Pallbearer on Facebook here.
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