Heavy Song of the Week is a feature on Heavy Consequence breaking down the top metal and hard rock tracks you need to hear every Friday. This week, the top song goes to Pallbearer’s “Where the Light Fades.”
A couple weeks ago, we featured Inter Arma as our Heavy Song of the Week. Speaking about their new material, the band members shared a poignant and somewhat personal collective statement, mentioning that they have often felt “too metal” or “not metal enough” for their target audience over the years.
As someone who has faced this conundrum with my own musical output, I can relate to Inter Arma. And it’s also why I find the new song by that band’s soon-to-be tour mates, Pallbearer, so fascinating.
“Where the Light Fades” is a captivating pivot for the Arkansas doom outfit, and one that transcends (if not downright ignores) the conflict of Metal vs. Not Metal Enough.
“I’m of the belief that true heaviness comes from emotional weight, and sometimes sheer bludgeoning isn’t the right approach to getting a feeling across.”
Those are the words of guitarist/vocalist Brett Campbell, whose singing takes centerstage on the stripped-down track. In place of riffs and sheer volume, we get palettes of lush chords that rise and fall in crescendos — sounds tethered more to the genres of progressive rock or even slowcore (which isn’t far removed from doom metal when you dial back the high-gain and riffs).
Such emotional directness is often eschewed in heavy metal, making this comeback single — Pallbearer’s first track in four years — all the braver.
Honorable Mentions:
Frail Body – “Horizon Line”
The inspiration behind Frail Body’s latest single “Horizon Line” is intense, to say the least, dealing with vocalist/guitarist Lowell Shaffer having to make a decision between staying out on tour or returning home to be by the side of his ailing mother, who would pass on soon after. Shaffer feels that he made the wrong decision at the time, and the utter grief of that emotional weight and inner conflict is tangible on the latest single from the Illinois screamo act.
Melvins – “Allergic to Food”
“Allergic to Food,” true to its title, captures all the manic anxiety of being stricken by a food allergy. Scalding guitars are backed by a cacophony of unrelenting percussion, recalling the hyper noise rock of Melt Banana and Lightning Bolt. The key is the dual drum section of Dale Crover and Roy Mayorga, whose drum tracks are stacked and compounded to the point of claustrophobia. We can only assume the Melvins — never ones to make artistic compromises — took great delight in creating this demented and terrifying piece.
Billy Morrison – “Crack Cocaine” feat. Ozzy Osbourne and Steve Stevens
Ozzy Osbourne was quick to inform fans that his new collab with Billy Morrison, “Crack Cocaine,” isn’t actually about crack cocaine. “It’s about being in love with a chick,” Ozzy said. “But it’s kind of what you might think Ozzy Osbourne would do. It’s, like, the two loves in my life: drugs and women.” The heavy tones and grizzled, blues-inspired playing from Morrison and fellow Billy Idol guitarist Steve Stevens matched with Ozzy’s voice gives us immediate flashbacks to Zakk Wylde-era Ozzy, and we’re not complaining. In fact, this sounds even more like those old Ozzy records than his most recent ones with Andrew Watt.