Vol. #148: Pagan Impaler -“Buried Alive”
Rustbelt Rock Review
By: Z.M. Delgado
Rustbeltrockreview.com
Volume #148: Pagan Impaler -“Buried Alive”
Release date: July 26th, 2024
Hello my fellow Rockers and welcome back to the Rustbelt Rock Review. This week I have another new album to discuss with you and it’s one I’ve been itching to do a write up on. The album, entitled “Buried Alive,” is brought to us courtesy of Cleveland’s own Pagan Impaler. Released just a few weeks back, I’ve had this album on none stop since I first downloaded it. With ten songs packed into just 32 minutes, it blows by in a flash of Blackened Thrash. Considering the speed of the play that is more than enough time to achieve exactly what the band came to accomplish. In true Blackened Thrash style the vocals are grating and coarse, while remaining articulate to the well trained ear. With a deep rumbling Bass sound and Guitars that cut like a hacksaw, the sound is completed forming a true audio onslaught. But lets not get ahead of ourselves. Before I get any further into my analysis of the record, here’s a few tracks that I think really stand out.
The first song I want to discuss is “Forged by Moonlight.” This song opens with a solid riff and some nasty lead licks. At breakneck speed the drum work ushers in the jam. Next comes an excellent vocal pattern throughout the verses, that I really dig. All in all the first two thirds of the song really punches and is satisfying unto itself. Tucked away towards the end of the song is a killer breakdown with some very nice melodic guitar work that leads toward the track’s destructive finale. My first time through the album this song grabbed me and it has done so again and again with each subsequent listen. Without a doubt “Forged by Moonlight” is a beast.
Next I want to tell you about THE song on this album. I mean, if I had to choose one song out of the collection… just one track to convince you that Pagan Impaler is AMAZING, well then the choice would be easy. The piece I am referring to is the title track of the collection: “Buried Alive.” Unlike the speed and wrath of the rest of the record, “Buried Alive” is slow and emotional. Beginning with soft notes, reverberating over a void, the sounds are haunting. Next gorgeous lead licks kick in and extenuate the vibe with beautiful notes. The Bass thunders along, laying out a plodding rumble, beneath the ghostly melody. By the time the vocals cut in the song is already substantially intriguing. The Vocals add an additional layer to the mix and the song becomes so much… more. The Drums follow along all the while, increasing in intensity as the song progresses, adding layers of ever building emotions. These emotions peak with the chorus and its spectacular Guitar licks. What else can I tell you? Beyond that examination, I doubt I can capture the true beauty of this track. I can only say to you this: you really must hear this one for yourself. All alone it is worth the cost of the album.
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“Ghost of You” is the next item on my hit list and it is a ripper. This song grabbed me the first time I heard it, when it was just a single, prior to the albums release. I thought it was a crusher then, and my opinion hasn’t changed one iota since. Hard hitting Drums and Guitars punish the listeners ears as the song erupts in a frenzy. It blazes ahead at killing speed with a riff which is undeniably cutting. Heavy and hard as steel this track picks up tempo again and reminds you the Pagan Impaler is nothing short of nasty. It’s fist pumping, head banging, mosh pit bait, to be sure. This song is a pile of energy and it is guaranteed to make you want to get up and move.
Next I have to talk to you about “Drown Me in Blood.” This may be the heaviest song on the album. It starts with absolutely crushing intensity and runs through an intro that is pure punishment. By the time the vocals come in you’ll be headbanging so hard that you’re likely to sustain a significant neck injury. The verse is as fast and aggressive as anything else on the album, but it’s the crushing slow downs in and around the choruses that makes this song truly great. There is an absolutely brutal break just after the 2 minute mark. Everything goes quiet for an instant before the Bass drops in and all hell breaks loose. It is a moment that kicks so damn hard, it is nearly impossible to describe. All in all, “Drown Me in Blood” is a monster of Rock N’ Roll that will chew you up and spit you out in just the right way.
Lastly, I want to give and honorable mention to “To the Gallows” and “Let Them Burn.” As the albums opener and closer they have important rolls in the setlist. These two songs handle their duties with fantastic precision. “To the Gallows” with its eerie opening and pace setting attack, really showcases all that is to come. On the flip side “Let them Burn” is a climactic maelstrom that slams the door on the collection with a deadly finality. Suffice to say, both songs really and truly Rock and they bookend the remainder of the songs nicely.
So here we come down to it. What are my final thoughts on “Buried Alive” by Pagan Impaler? Well, to cut right down to it I’ll tell you, I absolutely love this record. I have become a big fan of Black Speed/Blackened Thrash, and as such I was immediately drawn in to what Pagan Impaler was doing. Once I took a closer listen, I was pleased to find that there was much more going on here than merely fast speeds and grating Vocals. On “Buried Alive” I also found incredible drumwork that is both hard hitting as well as imaginative. I discovered a Guitar style that is every bit as elaborate as it is heavy. And as I said earlier, I heard a Vocal style that is vicious, while the lyrics remain discernible. (That’s a big plus in my book.) With solid song writing and pretty savage lyrical content, the whole thing comes together very nicely. With that being said this is an album that I highly recommend, and I am typing that as hard as I possibly can. If you want something that is lightning quick, heavy, dark and twisted, then I can’t tell enough different way to check out “Buried Alive” by Pagan Impaler. For fans of Midnight, Bewitcher or Wraith this is a must listen. On that note I shall bid you a fond farewell. Keep your horns up and your head banging.
Until next time, Rock on, Rustbelt,
-Z.M. Delgado
Rustbelt Rock Review
Rustbeltrockreview.com
8/4-8/5/2024
(Pagan Impaler- “Buried Alive”: Pagan Impaler strikes hard and fast with this 10 shot collection. Brutal, heavy and fast as lightning, this is an album for those who crave speed. Monstrous Vocals, ripping Guitars and jackhammer drum style will tantalize the ears of listeners and have them breaking their necks to be sure. Highly recommend.)
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