E W R E L E A S E S , R E V I E W S , & M O R E
Dad Patrol, Wasted Day, 2022
Halifax Metalcore icons Pale Ache dropped their brand new LP
"Mourning As A Metaphor” on August 7th, right before joining fellow Canadian hardcore bands Single Wound and Judgment on their Metalcore Summer Vacation tour. I was lucky enough to catch the Saint John show with local legends Surface Wounds, and they put on an amazing show that left my heart pumping and ears ringing.
When I asked the band for some insight on how they approached this release, the theme of instability and
unpredictability really came through in the way they described it. The idea that each time they entered the studio, there was a different version of a track in mind one that would inevitably change from what had come before really took shape in the final product We can hear this instability in the music, which is a departure from their prior work. The songs feel less burdened with perfectionist tendencies, and each song flows perfectly into one another, delivering an unrelenting mix of melodies and breakdowns that leave your head spinning
This record tells a story about how the passing of someone close to you
can manifest in your personality and self perception in ways that aren’t outwardly apparent, and how the chaos of something like that can be as complicated as it is beautiful. Sometimes life isn’t just about making sure everything looks perfect from the outside but also about recognizing and appreciating the uglier parts of self realization and not just the romanticized parts that you want the world to see.
This LP does something that's very special in Metalcore; it's aggressive and emotional but manages to achieve a clear sense of melody and harmony. Few bands can successfully combine melodic vocals with hardcore breakdowns and growls, but Pale Ache does it flawlessly In this release, they do a wonderful job of straddling these two sides, managing to maintain their heaviness and aggression while also creating passages that are harmonious and honestly pretty beautiful. Other bands take pride in their complex song structures and tempo changes, but Pale Ache has
mastered the art of making you travel within the same song. The tracklist is full of twists and turns that make it difficult to name every song that’s a highlight; the whole album is a highlight. It goes in every fucking direction at the same time and yet sounds so cohesive
It's safe to say that Metalcore is the genre of music I love most, and this is a heavy record you don't want to miss. The gut wrenching, mind crushing breakdowns, drum beats that make you want to fight someone, and that “BLEH” you’re looking for will have you listening to this record every day like I have.
lyric of the issue I wanna love you 'Til we're food for the worms to eat 'Til our fingers decompose, keep my hands in yours
