A Pale Horse Named Death: An Order of Fresh Doom
Infernum in Terra (literal translation: Hell on Earth), the fourth studio album by Brooklyn’s doom metal heavyweights A PALE HORSE NAMED DEATH represents a brand-new beginning for the outfit. Sal Abruscato, the mastermind of the band and the former drummer for TYPE O NEGATIVE and LIFE OF AGONY, is firm on both the stylistic and personal reasons behind the fresh outlook that the album brings.
“Well, there’s certainly a darker approach on the record with darker subject matters; I also brought in more piano, orchestral bells and there’s actually one or two tracks that have strings and choir stuff going on underneath everything too,” he explains. “But also, it was also a way to find redemption; I wasn’t entirely happy with the way the last record (2019’s When The World Becomes Undone) came out, so a big difference is that I worked my tail off doing all the production work, including engineering and mixing; it’s the first album where I’ve done all that myself, with the exception of having the final master done in Los Angeles.”
Given how much Sal has done on the release, one would assume the global pandemic would have been a real blessing, allowing him the time to take things at his own pace; as it turns out, it helped in another way. ”I record everything myself pretty much with the exception of guitar solos; even with the lockdown I wouldn’t have got together with anyone: Eddie and Joe (Heedles and Taylor, A PALE HORSE NAMED DEATH’s guitarists) were sending me their solos digitally. Importantly, though, it gave me the peace of mind of not listening to anyone else’s criticisms or opinions. As such, I finally proved to myself that if I just do what I need to do and that’s going on in my head, it will transpire into the result that we’ve got.”
Sal is, of course, no amateur to this world – his personal discography spans three decades of music – but, as he enters his fifties, he’s confident that he’s finally working on all his own terms. “I’ve always had that feeling in the past that sometimes being a nice guy, working with other people, means you end up not being able to fulfil everything you have in your vision. This also ties into what I mean by a new beginning; this record is actually what you call ‘me’ right now.”
Of course, another effect of the pandemic is, with no chance of playing live, a number of bands have released albums in consecutive years; A PALE HORSE NAMED DEATH might be joining that crop. “I’m in the middle of working on my digital station, creating the next sound and soundscape for what I consider the next record,” Sal reveals. “I think I’m gonna dive right into that over the winter, if everything allows me to time-wise. There’s no touring plans, and right now all it takes is one band member that’s afraid of being exposed or one band member that may not feel comfortable about the situation and that right there puts the kibosh on things; the backlog of tours means we could be waiting three years to get out too. So I think the best thing is to do continue, writing insane music and putting out insane records.”
The notion of two A PALE HORSE NAMED DEATH albums in as many years is a tantalising prospect, but many fans will be happy with just the one, especially when Infernum In Terra hits new heights in the band’s world. An emotional rollercoaster of riffs and anguished vocals cascade around you, enveloping you with darkness and bolstered by a production job so brilliant you wonder why Sal hasn’t taken a hands-on approach with this element beforehand.
This certainly isn’t an album for a sunny day with a barbecue, which explains why Sal wrote a lot of it from September 2020 as the nights began to draw in. However, darkness must also be balanced with light and, when asked where he gets the light in his own life, Sal shows his tender side, relayed with the measured wisdom of a man who understands exactly what all of his current output is truly about.
“The future of my children; I’m doing everything for them. Nobody gives you a manual about being a parent, So seeing them smile, do good in school and do the things they want because they have a whole future in front of them. I’ve made my choices, whether they’re good or bad. As far as I’m concerned, they have so much ahead of them, and it’s so important that they have good guidance and words of knowledge that will help them make better choices in the future. They’re the reason I keep hanging in there they keep me going through the tough times, whether that’s mental or physical.”
Infernum In Terra is out now via Long Branch Records.
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