Pallbearer: Sorrow and Extinction

8.4

What is stoner rock or doom or sludge? Is this music really so different than what Black Sabbath invented that we need sub-divisions to categorize new bands doing this stuff? Maybe... I do love this album as much as most music journalists. The singer is more melodic and unique than the '80s cheese metal types. It's well immersed in metal as much as alternative rock, with dueling harmonized guitars and odd meter rhythm changes. I'm not sure if I love this album 'cause I've lessened my metal intake, or that Pallbearer is just awesome! They have the swagger of Mogwai, very slow and heavy as anything, but the gloomy vocals of a Tool record. I'm very interested to see where they take their new found success. I think the next album will be as good if not better.