Little Rock, Arkansas’ Pallbearer are a doom metal quartet whose penchant for extreme, monstrously thick heaviness has drawn fans from across the globe. With a sound rooted in the slow, riff-centric traditions pioneered by Black Sabbath, the band’s approach is appended by a neo-psychedelic application of guitar harmony and later on, prog elements.
It was initially showcased on a three-song demo that included a cover of the Billie Holiday standard “Gloomy Sunday.” They hardwired that guitar interplay into their core sound on their 2012 debut album Sorrow and Extinction
Live and on recordings, Pallbearer graft layers of impenetrably sludgy guitars onto an impossibly thick wall of oppressive, throbbing, bass-and-drum-kit bleakness that envelops the listener.
2014’s charting “Foundations of Burden” added a more glacial feel but retained the band’s textures and dynamics thanks in part to producer Billy Anderson’s mix.
Their third full-length, 2017’s Heartless, marked their international breakthrough as it reached the top spot on several charts.
The single “Atlantis” appeared in 2019.
Pallbearer’s original lineup came together out of the local metal scene in 2008, with Brett Campbell (guitars/vocals), Devin Holt (guitars), and Joseph D. Rowland (bass); their drum chair remained in flux until 2012 when Mark Lierly joined the band.
In October 2020 their most recent LP „Forgotten Days“ was released on the long running Metal Powerhouse Nuclear Blast Records.
The band has reinvented their sound over the course of five albums to grow from a stalwart of the stoner/doom scene into one of the most unique voices in the rock underground. Their long-scale compositions unfold as journeys, running the gamut of styles from the 70’s to the present within a single song with a penchant for “sheer gatefold-era grandeur” (Rolling Stone).
By continuing to incorporate new elements to their sound, Elder’s output has repeatedly set benchmarks for their peers. Beginning with 2008’s Elder and 2010’s “Dead Roots Stirring”, Elder made ripples in the stoner rock scene with their uniquely melodic approach to the genre.
In 2015 they surprised again with “Lore”, a watershed moment in the band’s career (recently crowned “Album of the Decade” by The Obelisk) which brought in elements of post-, prog- and space rock into the Elder sound.
Despite several years of heavy touring surrounding the album, “Reflections of a Floating World” was released just two years later, earning a spot at the top of many best-of lists including Rolling Stone (#5, 20 Best Metal Albums Of 2017), Stereogum and others.
Elder’s most recent album „Omens“ answers any speculation about new directions with affirmation: evolution or extinction. Lush, intricately interwoven melodies grow and dissolve into spaced-out jams; massive riffs thunder down into a churning sea of psychedelic sounds and unpredictable grooves carry away the listener.
After thirteen years, this is the first full-length recorded with a new lineup including guitarist Michael Risberg and new drummer Georg Edert, along with guest performances by Fabio Cuomo on Rhodes piano and synthesizers.
Irist was formed in the summer of 2015 by Pablo Davila (guitar) and best friend Bruno Segovia (bass). Originally from Argentina and Chile, the twosome brought on fellow Atlantans Adam Mitchell (guitar) and Jason Belisha (drums). But Irist wouldn’t become Irist until vocalist Rodrigo Carvalho (vocals), a Brazilian, joined the fold. It was then, after measured improvement as songwriters and an extended courtship with renowned A&R man Monte Conner, that Irist inked the Nuclear Blast deal and the rest is history.
While there are vestiges of the group’s pan-South American heritage (from Andean music to heroes Sepultura) throughout Order of the Mind, the band’s collective influences come from all parts of the heavy spectrum. From The Melvins, Ratos de Porão, and Alice in Chains to The Dillinger Escape Plan, Soundgarden, and Converge, Irist fold in, twist fervently, and scorch their faves until they’re decidedly protean and uniquely a product of the fivesome’s songwriting prowess.
In short, Irist’s debut, Order of the Mind, is a must-hear.
Arena Vienna / big room / adv 25 € / doors 18.30h
Tickets:
https://tickets.arena.wien/at/Events/67497
roadtriptoouttaspace.com 