Written: 26th November 2024
New band Pillar Of Light are soon to release their debut album Caldera, built around the tenets of post-metal, sludge and doom metal, never just submitting to just one of these sub-genres.
Opening track Wolf To Man starts with a distant rumbling that rolls towards the listener as a lamenting guitar begins with gentle lulling arpeggios, soon to be joined by soft synths. All signs initially point towards the beginning of an assuaging post-rock track. Any thought of this is dispelled a minute in to the track when Aaron Whitfield's gut-wrenching screaming vocals take hold and rip us unceremoniously from our developing reverie. Every line of his vocal delivery is emitted in an anguished, cathartic release. The post-rock accompaniment quickly twists and snarls into crunching metallic riffs; however, some of the more melodic guitar moments remain, albeit the unexpected nature of Whitfield’s first attack, momentarily, is the sole focus. Just before the four minute mark, the instruments strip away to unveil a spoken word section before guitars build once again and Whitfield unleashes the next part of his desperate narrative. Conviction came with gavel and rod / but conviction is hollowed by those who've not heard / Let alone / known the voice of God. On a track that is a profound exploration of the internal struggle between the human and animalistic nature within us, Alex Kennedy and Scott Christie’s guitars build an impressive wall of sound that threatens to topple in its monolithic intensity. It is a visceral but compelling opening track.
Leaving begins with a crushing riff and a slow, almost languid melodic guitar solo – a motif that returns throughout the song. James Obenour’s bass and Eric Scobie’s drums add yet more weight to an already titanic introduction and Whitfield returns with his guttural but primal vocals drenched in an intense sorrow. Seems all pages have turned / Seems all wisdoms aligned / Even the masters of creation are resigned / We all leave or are left behind. As with Wolf To Man, Leaving features a quieter central section and here the dualistic environment that Pillar Of Light create conjures a juxtaposition of sound that is hypnotic but emotionally demanding. Despite the post-rock / metal embellishments that are weaved throughout Caldera, this is not an album to play in the background for an easy listen.
At almost ten minutes, Spared uses each moment available to continue the band’s love of this musical dichotomy. Although it contains changes in tempo and dynamics that allow the listener time to reflect, there remains the feeling of unease and that something startling or surprising is forever just around the corner. The song’s climax is one of the most powerful moments on the album and Pillar Of Light add riff after riff, thundering drum fill after thundering drum fill, and a range of unbridled, ferocious utterances. As if to completely cleanse our palettes, Eden – the middle of seven songs - is cleverly positioned on the album. Calming and lilting, it unfolds like a serene dreamscape, with airy guitar melodies and a tranquil ambient atmosphere. Each note softly resonates, creating a harmonious, floating sensation that soothes the soul that has been so damaged and intricately examined during the first three songs.
Following Eden, we are more prepared for the tormented cries of Aaron Whitfield and they are the first thing we hear on fifth track Internal Gaze. Another multi-faceted song, it begins with sombre, sludge metal riffs as we trudge through an unforgiving environment. We plunge what we have into the abyss / The flames flicker and singe / Beckoning more than we can give. James Obenour’s bass sinks deep into that abyss and pulls the listener helplessly under. For several minutes, the band are in the throes of inner turmoil. Eventually the darkness temporarily lifts, and for a few moments, it seems as if we might escape. However, this is not to be, and once again, the music builds with a crescendo, leading us to a devastating finale.
Penultimate track, Unseeing continues with a viscous sludge metal approach but there are glimmers of melody rising above the rumbling bass and vicious vocals. Haunting, deep, almost choral vocals during the track’s conclusion add another element to the band’s sound. Longest track on the album, the eleven minute Certain End, brings Caldera to a close, and Pillar Of Light carefully construct an epic track that utilises every aspect of their sound. Lyrically conveying a deep, emotional and tragic narrative, the song acts as a poignant monologue expressing an overwhelming sense of grief and resignation. Sit down young man / I'm about to explain a feeling I pray you never have / I've said yes for so long / Now I must say no / I know this hurts / But know it hurts me / So much more than I have words for. It is a searingly harrowing ending to the album.
With Caldera, Pillar of Light have produced an album that runs the gamut from, on occasion, the exquisitely delicate to, more often, the vehemently traumatic. It will appeal to fans to a range of bands including Cult of Luna and Amenra but also Neurosis and Isis. Lyrically eviscerating and musically penetrating, it is not a journey to be undertaken lightly. Nevertheless it is a wonderfully constructed, thoughtfully nuanced album that will more than reward listeners who are able and prepared to embrace Whitfield’s vocal delivery, its dark, torrid personality and its soul-crushing heaviness.
Caldera is released on 6th December.