Pagan Altar - The Room of Shadows

Pagan Altar
The Room of Shadows (Temple of Mystery)

Pagan Altar may never receive the accolades commercially successful bands have, but if they did, how would that alter the spirit of their legacy?

The status of an underground cult legacy for a band can be revered or affect the perception with utter disdain as if the weight of something utterly pretentious burdens the very mention of a band on that level. However, Pagan Altar’s genuine appeal results in something far more charming than simple elitism.

For decades, their music has resonated in circles as if a myth passed along toward anyone fortunate enough to stumble upon the revelations of classic songs like “Armageddon”, something so heavy and mystical that it can not be described without emphasis on how real it is. Whether enchanting fans with epic melodic sojourns like “Reincarnation”, or shorter thematic rock head bangers like “The Night Rider,” Pagan Altar are in a class of their own.

Track one of The Room of Shadows, “Rising of The Dead”, is a promise that Pagan Altar’s sacred spirit will conclude in a triumph of truth that leaves these doom metal’s pioneers to a better part of history. The death of Terry Jones certainly finished the band, but we have the luxury of this entire album, which was recorded prior to the vocalist's unfortunate loss to cancer in 2015. “The Picture of Dorian Gray” moves with a goliath of NWOBHM power fusing pure 70s rock melodies and ferocious punk energy, and crescendos with “Danse Macabre”, a subtle soothing trippy jam wonderfully placed bombastic tempo changes driven by simple classic rock beats. Vocally, Terry Jones is weaving a final spell that will mark his indelible spot as a fortune teller and keeper of tales. Whatever path his spirit may have gone to, his status in this world is cemented as folk legend.

Altar’s strengths can be seen with some credence as more than just a metal band, but a coming of age result from the 70s rock explosions. Heavy metal, acid rock, proto punk, folk, and even bits of arena rock filter through the incredibly dynamic guitar playing of Alan Jones. Andy Green’s drumming is so hypnotic that you might miss how essential these beats are to controlling the majesty swirling all around him, like an axis of pure thundering rock & roll gypsy power.

Sentiments of prophecy throughout the tomes of Altar’s pages are certainly part of their endearing legend; however, Terry’s son Alan claims that the lyrics to this album were all finished more than a decade before the vocalist passed away. The hymns of this masterpiece are certainly empowering and intriguing stories that ride on into the sunset with the voice Terry Jones left behind one final time. As the singer dances around a whirlwind of harmonies and thick grooves, his essence remains in arcana with the power of a sorcerer, not unlike the band’s iconic mascot. Unquestionably, The Room of Shadows is the final Pagan Altar album that anyone could ask for, and the chilling finale of “After Forever” will leave you wanting more every time.

Release date: August 24th, 2017 via Temple of Mystery.