Black Candles And Gutter Scum is the demoralizing debut from Louisiana blackened crust trio PALE MISERY. A sonic ambush of second wave black metal and filth-infused crust emerges from the dying earth. Droning riffs poisoned in depression and drenched with violent distortion devour any dismal sense of hope. Out of time and out for blood, PALE MISERY crushes all that crawls with a devotion.
Out today, Black Candles And Gutter Scum can be streamed in its entirety at THIS LOCATION.
Lulled into a false sense of calm, foreboding drones give way to hard hitting blackened crust. The unrelenting energy of the record’s six tracks coupled with a massive atmosphere coalesce into blood chilling doom that sends the soul to the void. PALE MISERY leaves nothing on the table for their first release with its conclusion leaving one begging for more.
Black Candles And Gutter Scum is out now digitally. For orders, visit the official PALE MISERY Bandcamp page at THIS LOCATION.
PALE MISERY was forged by bassist Thorn Letulle and drummer Garret Cantu. Initially un-ordered chaos, the sound found structure with the early arrival of guitarist Jacob Neu. Solidified in their vision, the three went on to write, record, and produce Black Candles And Gutter Scum. Captured over a period of two weeks, the majority of the album was self-recorded in the band’s home studio while drums were recorded in a wood shop. With the mission to capture the harmonic richness and dynamic performance of the band, atypical techniques were drawn upon; vintage methods paired with modern gear, along with Letulle’s custom built speaker cabinets.
“The album title from Louisiana antagonists PALE MISERY invokes images of hidden rituals and down ‘n’ out despondence. From the album’s first harrowing swell of synth and feedback you can smell the incense swirling from dark rooms and the puke curdling in cobblestone streets. PALE MISERY‘s blackened crust roars from the first breath of ‘No Choice.’ The guitar’s buzzsaw bite inspires headbanging alongside toxic snarls as their sludgy groove gives way to discordant blasts. The record’s raw riffs drip with menace and venom…” — Decibel
“…crust-fuzed subgenres, whether they cross into the territory of black metal, hardcore, or sludge, are not shy in expressing that life is not all burritos and strippers – where matters diverge is what the artist chooses to do about it. For PALE MISERY, the appropriate response is not to cower, but rather, seek revenge: the trio’s debut album Black Candles And Gutter Scum channels this bloodlust through a cock-fight of unnerving samples and sweat-drenched warfare…” — Invisible Oranges
“…a buzz of guitars that create a furious wall of speeding chaos.” — Abysmal Hymns
“…a gloomy, doomy, and dark selection of material… it would not be unrealistic to expect great things from this trio in the future.” — Rock Shock Pop
“PALE MISERY‘s Black Candles And Gutter Scum could’ve been recorded in an abandoned shack on the shores of a muggy swamp, the Southeastern US humidity giving these songs a musky scent. If the band’s name or the album title didn’t offer enough clues, this trio revels in the bleak and hopeless; they gather strength from a place of forced solitude from every cretin walking this planet.” — Heavy Music Headquarters
“…dark, with a heavy dose of both early and more recent Darkthrone with added fuzz and a really hefty bottom. The crust elements are clearly prevalent throughout, and there are some really interesting effects here and there, such as on the second track ‘Live Fast And Die.’ This is a heavy record, sometimes slow, sometimes fast, sometimes atmospheric, but always pretty damn good.” — Metal Insider