Pagan Altar
Encyclopedia
Pagan Altar is a doom metal
band from England
. They are regarded as one of the pioneers of their genre.
, England
. Alongside Witchfinder General
, they are one of the few NWOBHM
bands to play doom metal.
Their gigs were characterised by moody, epic and heavy music interpreted with highly visual stage aspect which accented their interest for occult themes. Pagan Altar's only release from that era was independent, self-released, self-titled cassette which was in later years bootlegged. It was finally officially re-released on Oracle Records in 1998 and titled Volume 1.
Despite no label interest in the late 70's and early 80's, the timelessness of their music ultimately prevailed as minions of doom-obsessed metalheads kept Pagan Altar's music alive over two and a half decades.. ..Mid-first decade of the 21st century, the group had reformed to re-record an album of material written, but never released during their original tenure as a band. That album, ..Lords of Hypocrisy.., has been met with an incredible reception from fans of doom both old and new, this was followed by a third full length, named ..Mythical and Magical..
Currently, Pagan Altar is back on the road after 20 years of silence, to record there new album "Never quite dead" and playing gigs worldwide to the bands loyal and ever increasing fanbase with new members behind Alan and Terry to form the backbone of the bonecrunching Pagan Altar live sound...Joining them on Bass is Manny Cooke and Vince Hempstead on Guitars & Dean Alexander on drums. .... ..Behind the Cloak.., an exceedingly more detailed and painstaking account of Pagan Altar history than this may be read at the bands' ..website
Doom metal
Doom metal is an extreme form of heavy metal music that typically uses slower tempos, low-tuned guitars and a much "thicker" or "heavier" sound than other metal genres...
band from England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. They are regarded as one of the pioneers of their genre.
Biography
Pagan Altar, formed 1976 by Alan and Terry Jones in BrockleyBrockley
Brockley is a district of south London, England, located in the London Borough of Lewisham. It is situated south-east of Charing Cross.It is covered by the London postcode districts SE4 and SE14.-History:...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. Alongside Witchfinder General
Witchfinder General (band)
Witchfinder General is a doom metal band from Stourbridge, England. They were part of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal scene and have been cited as a major influence on the doom metal genre.-Biography:...
, they are one of the few NWOBHM
New Wave of British Heavy Metal
The New Wave of British Heavy Metal was a heavy metal movement that started in the late 1970s, in Britain, and achieved international attention by the early 1980s. The movement developed as a reaction in part to the decline of early heavy metal bands such as Deep Purple, Led Zeppelin and Black...
bands to play doom metal.
Their gigs were characterised by moody, epic and heavy music interpreted with highly visual stage aspect which accented their interest for occult themes. Pagan Altar's only release from that era was independent, self-released, self-titled cassette which was in later years bootlegged. It was finally officially re-released on Oracle Records in 1998 and titled Volume 1.
Despite no label interest in the late 70's and early 80's, the timelessness of their music ultimately prevailed as minions of doom-obsessed metalheads kept Pagan Altar's music alive over two and a half decades.. ..Mid-first decade of the 21st century, the group had reformed to re-record an album of material written, but never released during their original tenure as a band. That album, ..Lords of Hypocrisy.., has been met with an incredible reception from fans of doom both old and new, this was followed by a third full length, named ..Mythical and Magical..
Currently, Pagan Altar is back on the road after 20 years of silence, to record there new album "Never quite dead" and playing gigs worldwide to the bands loyal and ever increasing fanbase with new members behind Alan and Terry to form the backbone of the bonecrunching Pagan Altar live sound...Joining them on Bass is Manny Cooke and Vince Hempstead on Guitars & Dean Alexander on drums. .... ..Behind the Cloak.., an exceedingly more detailed and painstaking account of Pagan Altar history than this may be read at the bands' ..website
Line-up
- Terry Jones - vocals
- Alan Jones - lead guitarElectric guitarAn electric guitar is a guitar that uses the principle of direct electromagnetic induction to convert vibrations of its metal strings into electric audio signals. The signal generated by an electric guitar is too weak to drive a loudspeaker, so it is amplified before sending it to a loudspeaker...
- Manny Cooke - Bass guitarBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
- Dean Alexander - drums
- Vince Hempstead - guitarElectric guitarAn electric guitar is a guitar that uses the principle of direct electromagnetic induction to convert vibrations of its metal strings into electric audio signals. The signal generated by an electric guitar is too weak to drive a loudspeaker, so it is amplified before sending it to a loudspeaker...
Albums
- Volume 1 CD (1998)
- The Lords Of Hypocrisy CD (2004)
- Mythical & Magical CD (2006)
- "COMING SOON" Never Quite Dead CD (2012)
SINGLES
- "Pagan Altar/Jex Thoth, Split single" (2007)
- "Pagan Altar/Mirror of Deception, Split single" (2011)