the metal gods rock show

                                                                                                A Pale Horse Named Death 
                                                                         Lay My Soul To Waste  SPV / Steamhammer Records

 

Fronted by Sal Abruscato, the former Type O Negative drummer, A Pale Horse Named Death have unleashed their second album, it's sombre, dark and rattles your bones. This follows on from the successful 'And Hell Will Follow Me'.  Abruscato has abandoned the drums again and fronts his own project, this album has songs that will give you dreams, nightmares, eerie feelings of sludge and the doom laden riffs so beloved by Black Sabbath. 

 

The album opens with an atmospheric feel, hushed voices and echoes, then 'Shallow Grave' digs into your consciousness.  Comparisons to Alice in Chains are immediately evident.  This is grungy, deep and invasive, as the track continues you can also see the Type O Negative influences. 

 

Abruscato was a member of Type O when they released their two classic albums 'Slow Deep & Hard' and 'Bloody Kisses', and the vibe is also clearly evident from his previous bands, including of course his stint in Life of Agony. 

 

"The Needle In You' deals with losing the battle against sobriety.  It's angry, aggressive, you can really feel the pain and hell as Abruscato show his fine vocal abilities laying his soul bare. 

'In Sleeping Death' is a song about suicide and really smacks of Layne Staley's lyrical and painful mastery, Abruscato could really be his double. 'Killer by Night' is more up tempo. 

 

The lyrics take yougo on a schizophrenic journey in the mind of a murderer.  'Growing Old' is deep, disturbing and scary.  Llisten to the lyrics, it’s a song that will make you realise none of us are infallible and we all grow old, then slowly rot.  The song takes you to your graveside, the end of your being on this world.

 

For a bit more of an up-tempo tune, 'DMSLT' takes you out of the doom.  Again a song we can all relate too.  Final track 'Cold Dark Mourning', like the whole album, it’s a deep and meaningful.  Gloomy maybe but a song that will give you shivers up and down your spine. 

 

So final words: Abruscato has captured the essence and angst of life’s torments, moulding them into a clever album that anyone who loves hard and heavy metal with sludge and doom laden riffs will crave and love!    

 

Review by: Seb Di Gatto

 

 

Tracklisting:

1. Lay My Soul To Waste
2. Shallow Grave
3. The Needle In You
4. In The Sleeping Death
5. Killer By Night
6. Growing Old
7. Dead Of Winter
8. Devil Came With A Smile
9. Day Of The Storm
10. DMSLT
11. Cold Dark Morning