Pilgrim’s full length debut ‘Misery Wizard’ was an instant doom classic and the progression and experience of the past couple of years has ensured that you will recognise a good thing first time around when you spin ‘II: Void Worship’ for the first time.
‘Master’s Chamber’ immediately smashes your senses is the traditional doom that harbours a sense of wasteland, desolation and personal isolation. Walls vibrate, windows almost shatter, the sound is very heavy and not humble at all. The funny thing is, when the vocal starts, it changed the character all together. Pilgrim has really nailed their perceived atmospherics here, something that is consistent throughout this album. ‘In the Presence of Evil’ is an instrumental monster; the short tunes generally are devoid of lyrics on this release but the quality never relents.
‘Arcane Sanctum’ has a delicate echo to its lifeblood but the real gem that is not so epic, but more to the point is the groovier upbeat ‘The Paladin’. Possessing strong vocals and even stronger rhythms, this takes the doom element to different places. If you sit back and close your eyes at some parts of this tune then you could easily fall into the realms and influences of other classic US doom bands and there are a fair few to choose from.
However, Pilgrim are actually their own gods, their own masters of a slower music ethic that is personified with atmosphere and power. Not one track is disappointing and the whole album exhumes quality. This is a no brainer really; doom fans should rejoice at this album, it is definitely a step beyond their debut and should allow the future to be rather fruitful for both the band and their fans.
(8.5/10 Paul Maddison)
Leave a Reply