Forgotten Days
| Forgotten Days | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | October 23, 2020 | |||
| Genre | Doom metal | |||
| Length | 52:58 | |||
| Label | Nuclear Blast | |||
| Producer | Randall Dunn | |||
| Pallbearer chronology | ||||
| ||||
Forgotten Days is the fourth studio album by American doom metal band Pallbearer. It was released on October 23, 2020 through Nuclear Blast, making it the band's first full-length for the label. Production was handled by Randall Dunn.
Critical reception
[edit]| Aggregate scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AnyDecentMusic? | 7.3/10[1] |
| Metacritic | 84/100[2] |
| Review scores | |
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [3] |
| Classic Rock | [4] |
| Consequence of Sound | A[5] |
| Exclaim! | 6/10[6] |
| Kerrang! | 4/5[7] |
| Metal Hammer |  [8] |
| Pitchfork | 8/10[9] |
| Spectrum Culture | (75%)[10] |
Forgotten Days was met with universal acclaim from music critics. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream publications, the album received an average score of 84 based on eight reviews.[2] The aggregator AnyDecentMusic? has the critical consensus of the album at a 7.3 out of 10, based on seven reviews.[1]
Jon Hadusek of Consequence of Sound praised the album, stating that it "is arguably the best doom metal album of 2020 and an impressive label debut. Thanks to Dunn's minimalist production, the album is a sonic pleasure, and it's instantly more listenable and accessible than Heartless.[5] AllMusic's Thom Jurek wrote, "Forgotten Days is the album that will likely unite all Pallbearer fans. Its return-to-roots aesthetic is planted in a physical base that carries the band's dark, progressive doom into a new era".[3] Hannah May Kilroy of Kerrang! wrote, "There's nothing too out there on Forgotten Days – the '80s synth of the closing "Caledonia" probably the biggest surprise, but a welcome one: a playful take on the pain of the past – and all the tracks are solid, with any experimentation woven tightly around Pallbearer's doom roots. This is the sound of a genre being refreshed, and of a band making it entirely their own".[7] Dave Everley of Classic Rock magazine wrote, "Their fourth album takes yet more detours, but without ever losing sight of the path. Devotees of lead-heavy riffs will be spoilt by the title track and "Rites Of Passage", and the pace never exceeds sluggish".[4] Grayson Haver Currin of Pitchfork wrote, "These eight songs grapple candidly with [family loss], but, like the music itself, the words don't wallow. Instead, Pallbearer use these tragedies to revel in being alive, or to answer the 'gnawing doubts that I ever learned to live'".[9] Jake Cole of Spectrum Culture summarized, "offering up the most focused, heaviest record since their debut, Pallbearer further cement themselves as one of modern doom's luminaries".[10] In a mixed review, Trystan MacDonald of Exclaim! said, "Gone are the crushing riffs and transitions, replaced with subdued progressions. It's a real blight on much of the record, unable to keep the listener enthralled or interested".[6]
Year-end lists
[edit]| Critic/Publication | List | Rank | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|
| Consequence of Sound | Top 50 Albums of 2020 | 26 | [11] |
| Decibel | Top 40 Albums of 2020 | 19 | [12] |
| Metal Hammer | The 50 Best Metal Albums of 2020 | 14 | [13] |
| PopMatters | Top 10 Progressive Rock/Metal Albums of 2020 | 5 | [14] |
Track listing
[edit]All music is composed by Brett Campbell, Devin Holt, Joseph D. Rowland and Mark Lierly
| No. | Title | Lyrics | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Forgotten Days" | Brett Campbell | 6:29 |
| 2. | "Riverbed" | Joseph D. Rowland | 6:24 |
| 3. | "Stasis" | Campbell | 4:00 |
| 4. | "Silver Wings" | Campbell | 12:18 |
| 5. | "The Quicksand of Existing" | Rowland | 3:59 |
| 6. | "Vengeance & Ruination" | Campbell | 6:53 |
| 7. | "Rite of Passage" | Rowland | 4:55 |
| 8. | "Caledonia" | Rowland | 8:00 |
| Total length: | 52:58 | ||
Personnel
[edit]- Brett Campbell – vocals, lyrics (tracks: 1, 3, 4, 6), guitar, piano, synthesizer
- Devin Holt – backing vocals, guitar
- Joseph D. Rowland – vocals, lyrics (tracks: 2, 5, 7, 8), bass, synthesizer, guitar, baritone guitar
- Mark Lierly – drums, percussion
- Randall Dunn – producer, mixing
- Justin Morris – engineering
- Matt Colton – mastering
- Rob Kimura – design, layout
- Michael Lierly – paintings
Charts
[edit]| Chart (2020) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| UK Rock & Metal Albums (OCC)[15] | 14 |
| UK Independent Albums (OCC)[16] | 29 |
| US Current Album Sales (Billboard)[17] | 28 |
| US Top Hard Rock Albums (Billboard)[18] | 12 |
| US Top Album Sales (Billboard)[19] | 34 |
References
[edit]- ^ a b "Forgotten Days by Pallbearer reviews | Any Decent Music". AnyDecentMusic?. Retrieved November 7, 2020.
- ^ a b "Critic Reviews for Forgotten Days – Metacritic". Metacritic. Retrieved October 27, 2020.
- ^ a b Jurek, Thom. "Forgotten Days – Pallbearer | Songs, Reviews, Credits | AllMusic". AllMusic. Retrieved October 27, 2020.
- ^ a b Everley, Dave (October 23, 2020). "Pallbearer push the doom envelope on the shimmering Forgotten Days". Classic Rock Magazine. Retrieved October 27, 2020.
- ^ a b Hadusek, Jon (October 23, 2020). "Pallbearer forge ahead with emotionally charged doom on Forgotten Days: Review". Consequence of Sound. Retrieved October 27, 2020.
- ^ a b MacDonald, Trystan (October 22, 2020). "Pallbearer Take a Brooding Walk to Nowhere on 'Forgotten Days'". Exclaim!. Retrieved October 27, 2020.
- ^ a b Kilroy, Hannah May (October 20, 2020). "Album Review: Pallbearer – Forgotten Days". Kerrang!. Retrieved October 27, 2020.
- ^ Hobson, Rich (October 20, 2020). "Pallbearer's Forgotten Days is the sound of doom metal marching into the future". Metal Hammer. Retrieved October 27, 2020.
- ^ a b Currin, Grayson Haver (October 30, 2020). "Pallbearer: Forgotten Days". Pitchfork. Retrieved November 7, 2020.
- ^ a b Cole, Jake (November 4, 2020). "Pallbearer: Forgotten Days". Spectrum Culture. Retrieved March 13, 2021.
- ^ "Top 50 Albums of 2020". Consequence of Sound. December 1, 2020. Retrieved December 10, 2020.
- ^ "Top 40 Albums of 2020". Decibel. November 12, 2020. Retrieved December 10, 2020.
- ^ "The 50 best metal albums of 2020". Metal Hammer. Future plc. January 8, 2020. Archived from the original on January 18, 2021. Retrieved March 12, 2021.
- ^ Blum, Jordan (December 1, 2020). "The 10 Best Progressive Rock/Metal Albums of 2020". PopMatters. Retrieved December 10, 2020.
- ^ "Official Rock & Metal Albums Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved November 7, 2020.
- ^ "Official Independent Albums Chart Top 50". Official Charts Company. Retrieved November 7, 2020.
- ^ "Pallbearer Chart History (Current Album Sales)". Billboard. Retrieved November 7, 2020.
- ^ "Pallbearer Chart History (Top Hard Rock Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved November 7, 2020.
- ^ "Pallbearer Chart History (Top Album Sales)". Billboard. Retrieved November 7, 2020.
External links
[edit]- Pallbearer – Forgotten Days at Discogs (list of releases)
