Pale Mare, one of Toronto's best local acts have returned and with their signature brand of sludge and stoner metal being incorporated into other brands of heavy music, II brings all of the familiar while also incorporating a few twists to create a surprisingly great sludge metal record.
II opens on a familiar note with "House of War," a classic ode to Matt Pike and High on Fire, with thrash-infused riffs balancing off of the major chords changes that Pale Mare have become known for. "Zealot" sees the band at their finest, the hypnotic drum pattern balancing perfectly off of the slow plodding riffs that solidify the song's structure.
Pale Mare have a few tricks up their sleeves, and the later half of the EP showcases a "doomy" side of the band. "Voidgazer" and "Remains" both consist of YOB-like song structures. The acoustic guitar outro on "Remains" is a nice touch of melody to round out the EP.
Pale Mare's II provides the expected sludgy goodness while also bringing in some nice surprises. If you are looking for classic-sounding sludge metal album with a few twists and turns, II is worth your time.
(Seeing Red)II opens on a familiar note with "House of War," a classic ode to Matt Pike and High on Fire, with thrash-infused riffs balancing off of the major chords changes that Pale Mare have become known for. "Zealot" sees the band at their finest, the hypnotic drum pattern balancing perfectly off of the slow plodding riffs that solidify the song's structure.
Pale Mare have a few tricks up their sleeves, and the later half of the EP showcases a "doomy" side of the band. "Voidgazer" and "Remains" both consist of YOB-like song structures. The acoustic guitar outro on "Remains" is a nice touch of melody to round out the EP.
Pale Mare's II provides the expected sludgy goodness while also bringing in some nice surprises. If you are looking for classic-sounding sludge metal album with a few twists and turns, II is worth your time.