Active now for just shy of quarter of a century Pantheïst originally started out in Belgium before settling down in London and more recently Cardiff. Led by vocalist & keyboard player Kostas Panagiotou, they are a bit of an underground gem but have got mainstream attention recently due to playing with live pipe organ accompaniment. With six albums to date, many from the doom, death and even black metal scene have passed through their doors including members of Esoteric, Fen, De Profundis, Voices, Serpentcult, Eye Of Solitude and, well the list goes on. Always impressive both live (supporting Skepticism in St Giles Church London a highlight) and recording wise, this is apart from an instrumental single, the first new material since 2021 album ‘Closer To God.’ Although full-length by running time it is actually classed as an EP with one new song and three tracks (ie a complete performance) of the band playing live when they supported Arð in Huddersfield Town Hall with David Pipe aptly playing that aforementioned pipe organ.
It’s no surprise that new song ‘Kings Must Die’ is a sprawling opus at almost 1/4 of an hour in length. Kostas is not handling vocals here though leaving this to fellow Landskap collaborator Jake Harding along with accompanying soprano singer Linda Dumitru adding new dimensions to their sound. Solemn keyboards lead us in with a mournful melody along with hymnal clean vocals. One immediately gets the historical atmosphere as drums slowly join in a military two-step and the subtle operatic parts linger in the background. The glorious harmonic sound is fully realised with everything joining in but then it quickly drops out again as the band play with shadows of light and dark. Nothing is rushed and there is plenty of grace here that is guaranteed to get you swaying when played live. There are spoken parts narrating the tale and glistening guitar parts provided by Mesmur’s Jeremy Lewis and Bulgarian player Atanas Kyurkchiev. Add some growls and we have an accomplished and epic piece of music with plenty of passion about it and a haunting melodic touch which turns heather-scented towards conclusion and is bound to linger. This should set-up followers well for future music and yes, apparently Linda will be reappearing in the pantheistic cult.
Onto the live recording and it’s the pipe organ relating ‘1000 Years’ in baroque form as first introductory number. We then head into the title track of debut album ‘In Solitude’ and it’s quickly evident the Mark Mynett production has plenty of weight about it and those who were present at the performance must have metaphorically bowed down by its ballast. Large roars rear forth, the music is austere and foreboding due to Pipe’s pipes (sorry couldn’t resist) and the drop out into clean vocals delivered in an almost rock opera style must have come as a surprise to those who had not heard the original composition. It’s suitably dramatic and flows with a certain amount of pomp and circumstance, a bit like a missing link between doom and Rick Wakeman, before it leads up to a battering and savage denouement. The crowd certainly seem appreciative and are thanked by the maestro but they are about to be silenced by the 22-minute ‘Strange Times’ from the group’s last album. When I reviewed the original opus I described it as “cinematic” and “enrapturing.” Add to that note perfect here and obviously rather special for those present. If you want to know more, it’s probably best to go and engross yourself in it via the actual recording or at least when published via the Bandcamp link below.
Somehow I doubt this will be the last we hear from Pantheïst this year and it has made me hungry for more. Among other UK dates lined up they are due to play with Italians Abysmal Grief in June although seemingly not in London. For now, though this will do nicely.
(8/10 Pete Woods)
Leave a Reply