Pallbearer - Sorrow And Extinction

Pallbearer's first full length 'Sorrow And Extinction' is perhaps the most sorrowful album I have come across this year. One that breeds pure sadness, breathes one final breath after being drained of everything they once had and wanders alone on an exhausting journey through a black tunnel to the afterlife.

A concluding paragraph to open these thoughts on the album. But a conclusion signifies The End and that is what this album could be based on. Coming to that End, of life, of everything. I am reminded a lot of Katatonia's 'Dance Of December Souls' in the way that it was practically the soundtrack to the darkest of lifes end. The main difference for starters here is that you don't have a tortured and painful voice leading the way. Instead you have the voice of Brett Campbell who simply lets out all his emotional pain and sorrow into every clean word that is sung. The way the notes in his voice shift and carry, thinking of those little lifts or yells in songs like 'Foreigner' and 'Devoid Of Redemption' almost come across like a dying man leading one to think that there might still be some life left in this one even if death is the likely outcome.

Nothing beats music when you can tell the feeling in it and feel with it. The lead work for example, thinking of a song like 'The Legend', building from one lead to twins at the start. How heartbreaking. The crushing bleak riffs slowly prodding along, like that lonely old man who moved from town to town trying to find a sense of belonging, only to find nothing and gave up. Not realizing though that he wasn't alone as the dark clouds were following him from town to town waiting for that breaking point so they could lift him into their grasp. It slowly drains and takes its toll. Even the dark tone in the riffs is gut wrenching, and the rumbling bass doesn't sit well inside either.

At times the riffs may dive deep into a black ocean and you just wonder if this could get any heavier and the tones could be any deeper. The leads mostly feel like a haze in the background of these crushing dives and soars which is great because you can really feel how heavy this is then. When the lead work does become the main focus, it is practically perfect as you just hang on for that moment when the crushing will start again. Just think of 'Given To The Grave'.

And sometimes for other albums as crushing as this can get, the drumming is usually like an implosion and just as heavy. But they don't need to be here on SAE, the riffs do all of that. The drums tend to sit back more and crash steadily. Like the old man is being clouded by second thoughts of if he should just take that plunge into the deep black ocean.

'Dance Of December Souls' is in my top three albums of all time. For me to be thinking of that album when I listen to 'Sorrow And Extinction' is a true indication of where this album sits for me. Extinction means something is gone, but at least you still remember it, and that is sometimes the worst thing. When we remember something that is gone, usually we feel the sadness in remembering when it left us and we didn't want that. Pallbearer has nailed this moment perfectly. Bleakness, sorrow and emotional pain all wrapped into one..

Ikil