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PAGAN ALTAR “Never Quite Dead”
PAGAN ALTAR “Never Quite Dead”
By Octopi Mills
After the passing of the vocalist Terry Jones we were left with what appeared as the end of an era and a classic band that brought so many good releases spanning back to the late 70s. Much like the passing of Mark Shelton from MANILLA ROAD, one wondered if there were any things left unreleased or to still be heard. Here we have an album with authentic songs written from and around the days when PAGAN ALTAR flew high but rounded off with the vocals of Mark Radigan, who keeps true to the vocal style of Jones, sounding like his spectral channel on the album.
The album has the usual PAGAN ALTAR sound and musical stylings; the 70s sound that often brought in English folk elements in its own unique manner. "Liston Church" sounds as if Terry is there, blowing around like an air in the candle flames. "Madame M'Rachel" and "Madame M'Rachel's Grave" weave together an interesting tale and "The Dead's Last March" is a typical PA song that sounds as if it could have been on another release. "Westbury Express" is a nice little song that recalls something that Page might have done in ZEPPELIN; a sort of short instrumental piece that rounds things off nicely. The album is sealed with "Kismet", a nine minute song that fits well on the release and adds to the use of cleaner guitars in a mellow manner and this is something that is found across the album, that feeling. Admirers of PAGAN ALTAR will not be disappointed and I think old Terry would be proud.
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