Two full decades of doing anything is impressive, and what separates British doom mainstays Cathedral’s 20-year tenure from that of many others is that they never really stopped. Until now. The 2CD live album Anniversary – their first live record in all that time, released through frontman Lee Dorian’s own Rise Above Records (Metal Blade in North America) – captures a special show they did to mark 20 years on Dec. 3, 2010, at the 02 Academy Islington in London, and it’s part of the band tying up the loose ends of their existence, which they reportedly plan to end in 2012 with a final studio offering to be called The Last Spire and another London show Dec. 3, 2011. The Last Spire will be Cathedral’s 10th full-length, and though their catalog has had its ups and downs as far as fan reception, their stamp on the genre of doom is cast if only in the fact that when they started out, there was hardly a genre to speak of. As time passed and their catalog grew, landmark releases like 1993’s The Ethereal Mirror and 1995’s The Carnival Bizarre helped not only grow the band’s legacy, but that of doom at large, and through his work with Rise Above, Dorian in particular has been placed at the fore of tastemakers when it comes to what the term “doom” means and can be expanded to incorporate. That has little to do with the sound of Anniversary, but is relevant for context if nothing else.

The Anniversary show itself saw Cathedral basically play two concerts. The first, captured on the first disc here, brought back the original two-guitar lineup for a full front-to-back performance of their 1991 classic, Forest of Equilibrium. The second was Cathedral’s current incarnation – Dorian and guitarist Garry “Gaz” Jennings being the remaining founding members – doing a selection from the rest of the band’s discography. Disc one is an hour and disc two is just under 80 minutes, so the sheer amount of material on Anniversary is staggering, and for someone unfamiliar with the band, probably too intimidating to take on completely blind – but one doesn’t release something like Anniversary for the casual fan. Anniversary is for those who’ve stuck with the band through the highs and lows, or for the late comers whose appreciation for Cathedral is seen in the band’s influence on doom both British and worldwide. And as much as they’ve come to personify the band over the years, to hear Dorian and Jennings joined by guitarist Adam Lehan, bassist Mark Griffiths and drummer Mike Smail for a full run-through of Forest of Equilibrium is a fitting way to celebrate Cathedral’s time together, though the sound between the studio versions and their late-2010 live interpretations is more than a little different. Dorian’s vocals – though he’s obviously performed much of this material all along – have developed considerably since 1991, and though he’s always been more of a frontman than a technically-minded singer, his range and use of cleaner vocals can easily be heard progressing from album to album. Forest of Equilibrium was never going to be what it is on the record itself, but whether it’s “Commiserating the Celebration (of Life)” or the show highlights “Serpent Eve” and “Equilibrium,” Cathedral as They Were do the album justice and leave a high mark for Cathedral as They Are to live up to.

Read more »

A couple weeks ago when I did Cathedral as the Frydee video, it wasn’t just because they’re awesome. Truth is, I had my evil little eye on a bootleg on eBay called Cosmic Funeral after the track from Statik Majik. I wound up winning it for about $20, and unlike most of the dumbass sight-unseen bootleg purchases I make, this one was completely worth every penny. The package showed up in the mail this week and had a full jewel case, silver-backed disc with professionally-printed artwork.

I can’t remember the last time I got a bootleg of this quality. It’s been a while, anyway. Even the ones you get these days with the really good inkjet jobs are usually CDRs, and I don’t really have a problem with that (obviously, or I wouldn’t buy them), but this whole thing just smacks of the ’90s. There’s no info on where the show was, but the art is killer and it says it was “recorded live on tour, 24-05-94,” and the internets tell me it was Milan, which since the disc says “Made in Italy” on it I’m inclined to believe.

In the classic CD bootleg fashion, there’s a mail order form in the liner notes. I was never brave enough to fill one of those out — I mean, what do you do if you spend $200 and never get sent anything? — but it’s a great reminder of what buying these kinds of discs used to be like, as opposed to now where you get charged twice as much for an inferior product. Blah blah blah, things aren’t like they used to be, harumph. I’m old.

The sound isn’t the best — it’s not bad; Lee Dorrian keeps asking for “more volume” — but just the thought at this point of owning a genuine Cathedral bootleg rules enough to make the expense worth it. There are reportedly a couple others out there, but I can’t imagine they’re easy to find, and with the band reportedly retiring after their next album, I wouldn’t think that’s about to change. The “death” of the compact disc has its ups and downs, but as a collector, I’m happy to get the chance to nerd out like this every now and again.

Here’s the “Cosmic Funeral’ video for anyone who didn’t get the “disco supernova” reference in the header above:

We close this week with some Cathedral, live from Japan in 1997. The track is “Ride,” from The Ethereal Mirror, and it’s amazing to me that there hasn’t been more news about the band’s impending retirement since it was announced earlier this year. Maybe that’s all there is to say until the farewell tour dates are finalized and the last album is made, or maybe Cathedral are the oft-forgot bastard sons of doom. I think if there has to be a legacy they leave behind, that’s one that will serve them well in the long run.

They’ve had their fair share of acclaim over the years, but consider it was basically two full decades before Saint Vitus got their due, as much as they’re getting it now. Anyway, I’m tired of everything having to be important. “Ride” is a cool track and I hope you dig the video. If not, there’s always next week.

Speaking of, next week I’ll have an update on the Blackwolfgoat discs — they’re in and the art looks great — as well as Six Dumb Questions with Nether Regions, a track premiere from Sourvein, and if I can work it out in time, an interview with Orange Goblin or Lo-Pan, plus reviews of new records from Primordial, Ramesses and others. Sounds like good times to me, however it all comes together.

I’m in Connecticut for at least the next night, and wherever you are, I hope you have an enjoyable and safe weekend.

This is one of the hardest questions in all the doomly realm to answer: “Where do I start with Cathedral?” The reason it’s so hard is because the UK outfit, led by vocalist Lee Dorrian and guitarist Gary “Gaz” Jennings, vary so much from album to album. Even up to this year’s The Guessing Game, Cathedral have constantly kept their sound in flux, from their death/doom beginnings all the way to the ’70s prog experimentation of the latest offering. There’s a good chance it’ll rock, but beyond that, you never know what you’re going to get from a Cathedral record.

Which brings us around to the question at hand. Where to start with Cathedral depends almost entirely on what you’re looking for from the band. They veered into stonerisms arguably most on Supernatural Birth Machine, and were at their invariably most doomed on their first album, 1991′s Forest of Equilibrium. The 2001/2002 duo of albums, Endtyme and VIIth Coming, were heavy but not as memorable, and 2005′s The Garden of Unearthly Delights was solid and had a couple standout tracks, but not necessarily groundbreaking in its blend of influences.

For that reason, I think 1995′s The Carnival Bizarre is the place to start. It’s the first full-length on which Dorrian and Jennings were joined by bassist Leo Smee and drummer Brian Dixon, and it saw them begin to work away from the deathly presence of Forest of Equilibrium and 1993′s The Ethereal Mirror, and with tracks like “Hopkins (The Witchfinder General)” and the Tony Iommi-infused “Utopian Blaster,” it’s bound to leave an impression on you when you hear it. In terms of meshing production and style, plus the performances of the band at their best and most innovative, it’s the way to go.

Agreements? Arguments? Any The Ethereal Mirror fans want to give me the business? Well, that’s why there are comments. Have at it.

Whether you actually sit for an hour and watch the following pro-shot footage of Cathedral‘s performance at Roadburn 2009 in its entirety, or maybe if you minimize the window, keep the sound on and check in periodically, it’s still a great way to get rid of an hour of your Monday. Filmed by Lee Sakura, this set includes the song “Open Mind Surgery,” which was intended for inclusion on Cathedral‘s latest album, The Guessing Game. If you’d like to know why it didn’t make the cut in the end, you can find out in my interview with Lee Dorrian.

The clip comes courtesy of Roadburn‘s blog. Enjoy:

Cathedral vocalist Lee Dorrian belongs on a short list of key influential doom metal luminaries. Alongside the likes of Tony Iommi, Wino, Bobby Liebling and Candlemass‘ Leif Edling, he has been a principle figure in making doom metal what it is today. With guitarist Gary “Gaz” Jennings, he has continually helped reshape doom in Cathedral‘s image, inspiring a generation of heads to plug in and freak out.

The Guessing Game is Cathedral‘s first album in five years. It is their second offering through Nuclear Blast, second record in a row produced by Warren Riker (Down), and with it, the band celebrates their 20-year anniversary. Joining Jennings and Dorrian are longtime bassist Leo Smee (also formerly of Bill Steer‘s Firebird) and drummer Brian Dixon, and the album is a 2CD foray into ’70s prog, psych and folk the likes of which they’ve never before attempted. Having written a record more in line with their earliest works, the band summarily threw it out and started over, making — as Dorrian puts it — the album they always wanted to make.

I won’t delay, both because I’ve already reviewed the album and because the interview’s long and comprehensive enough, but I would like to say thank you to Lee Dorrian for taking the time for the following Q&A session, and to Nuclear Blast for facilitating. And of course, thank you for reading. The more you do, the more these things become possible.

Q&A is after the jump. Please enjoy.

Read more »

If you think 7:57 is a long runtime for an album trailer, consider the massiveness of Cathedral‘s recently reviewed The Guessing Game, the fact that it’s the band’s 20th anniversary, and that they kick ass. The Guessing Game is out this week in Europe, but the US has to wait until April 20, which for us non-stoner stoner rockers is kind of a bummer. Nonetheless, here’s this:

A double album is always a curious read, and Cathedral’s ninth full-length, The Guessing Game, with which the legendary UK doom outfit celebrates their 20th anniversary, is no exception. All the more so considering The Guessing Game is so close to the 80-minute limit of what would fit on a regular compact disc that, if the band had nixed the two two-and-a-half-minute intros, the record would have fit easily. So it’s not like they’ve come up with such an abundance of material as a follow-up to 2005’s The Garden of Unearthly Delights, but the jeans are just a little too tight to hold what they’ve got. I think we’ve all been there at one time or another.

Please don’t take that as calling The Guessing Game bloated. As one of the bands who set the course for the genre of traditional doom with classic albums like 1993’s The Ethereal Mirror and 1995’s The Carnival Bizarre, they know what it takes to make a good record, and although I generally fall on the side of cut what you need to to make it work — to the point of agreeing with George Martin that The White Album should have been a single disc (would the world really miss “Rocky Raccoon” or “Revolution No. 9?”) — if after two decades of existence, Cathedral want to make a 2CD, I’m not about to fault them for doing so. After five years, I’m just happy to have a new record. Any issue of how to interpret whether to take it as one whole work or two separate albums is secondary to that. Maybe that’s The Guessing Game.

In any case, the remaining original and principal members of the band, vocalist Lee Dorrian (whose back story by now shouldn’t need retelling) and guitarist Garry “Gaz” Jennings, both give remarkable performances throughout The Guessing Game. From “Funeral of Dreams” and down the line of the first disc’s material, Dorrian’s voice is a constant high point. Even as “Funeral of Dreams” pays bizarre homage to ritualistic ‘70s prog — think bands like Black Widow and Coven — Dorrian stays in character and on point vocally. And it’s a hearty “holy shit” moment nearly every time Jennings kicks into a solo, perhaps most especially on “Painting in the Dark.”

Read more »

…Actually, they don’t. They pretty much lay it all out there when it comes to their new album, The Guessing Game, due out in March on Nuclear Blast. Blabbermouth had the story — though it looks like something off the PR wire — but here it is, cut and pasted for your viewing convenience:

Veteran British doom/stoner band Cathedral will release its ninth full-length album and second for the Nuclear Blast label, The Guessing Game, on March 26. The CD was recorded at the Chapel studios (The Darkness, Napalm Death, Uriah Heep, Wet Wet Wet, Simple Minds) in Lincolnshire, UK and was once again produced by Warren Riker (Down, Crowbar). It also sports stunning new artwork from band collaborator Dave Patchett.

The Guessing Game tracklisting:
01. Immaculate Misconception (2:24)
02. Funeral of Dreams (8:28)
03. Painting in the Dark (6:18)
04. Death of an Anarchist (7:12)
05. The Guessing Game (3:08)
06. Edwige’s Eyes (7:08)
07. One Dimensional People (2:30)
08. Casket Chasers (6:41)
09. La Noche del Buque Maldito (AKA Ghost Ship of the Blind Dead) (5:46)
10. The Running Man (8:46)
11. Requiem for the Voiceless (9:50)
12. Journey’s Into Jade (10:36)

…And I couldn’t agree more! Hell, it’s been four years since The Garden of Unearthly Delights. Time to get this thing moving. Blabbermouth has it that long-running UK doom lords Cathedral are shortly to enter the studio with Warren Riker to record their second album for Nuclear Blast. In the meantime, Earache has been on a tear reissuing old albums, the latest of which is The Ethereal Mirror, reviewed here. Here art the informations:

Veteran British doom/stoner band Cathedral will enter Chapel Studios in Lincolnshire, UK in November to record its ninth full-length album and second for the Nuclear Blast label. Titled The Guessing Game, the new CD will once again be produced by Warren Riker (Down, Crowbar) and sport stunning new artwork from band collaborator Dave Patchett. Song titles set to appear on the CD (among others) include:

Journeys into Jade
The Casket Chasers
Funeral of Dreams
Death of an Anarchist
La Noche del Buque Maldito (a.k.a. Ghost Ship of the Blind Dead)
Open Mind Surgery

The Guessing Game is scheduled for a March/April 2010 release.

Though I?ve come over the years to appreciate the massive influence and impact long-running UK doom lords Cathedral have had on the international scene, they?re not really a band I listen to every day. Not so say I?m not a fan — ?twould be heresy — but I came late to the party and missed what?s widely regarded as their best era.

That era might be best presented in 1993?s The Ethereal Mirror, on which they kept holy the Black Sabbath while bringing more rock elements to their sound than there had been on the 1991 debut, Forest of Equilibrium. Frontman Lee Dorrian?s voice growled less (?disco supernova!?), the riffs were higher in the mix and the band, all around, seemed to have more focus. It?s an album well-deserving the reissue treatment Earache has already given Forest of Equilibrium and 1995?s follow-up, The Carnival Bizarre.

In a way, The Ethereal Mirror delivers the best and worst of the reissue process. Like Forest of Equilibrium, there?s a DVD included with a 40-minute interview about the album (actually, I think it was filmed the same day at the Forest of Equilibrium one — if not that, definitely the same bar), and even includes 1994?s Statik Majik EP, which is nearly 35 minutes of extra music. Would have been over 40, but ?Midnight Mountain,? originally the opener, is nowhere to be found.

Read more »

Usually when an allegedly limited edition reissue comes out and it’s packing a bonus DVD, it’s a completely skip worthy live set shot on one or two cameras with crappy sound that’s boring as hell. That, or like in the case of Earache‘s tackling last year of Cathedral‘s 1995 classic, The Carnival Bizarre, it’s all previously released. Review-wise, the second disc obliges a mention and little else. For their remaster of the seminal UK doomers’ 1991 debut, Forest of Equilibrium, however, the label has included a new 40-minute interview with the band about their career and making this album. Previously unreleased and relevant.

Granted, it’s shot mostly on one camera — other footage is spliced in — and it requires serious attention paid to dig words out of those Coventry accents, but it was enough for me to at least check it out before doing the review, hoping I’d learn something. I learned the “Ebony Tears” video (also included) kicks ass.

The audio portion of the release includes 1992′s Soul Sacrifice EP as another bonus and is a landmark in doom. Vocalist Lee Dorrian (blah blah Napalm Death, blah blah Rise Above Records), guitarists Gaz Jennings and Adam Lehan, bassist Mark Griffiths and drummer Mike Smail created a seven-track classic that’s morose by any standard you want to apply — even in comparing it to what was happening doom-wise in the UK at the time with My Dying Bride, Paradise Lost and Anathema. Put it next to Cathedral‘s last release, 2005′s The Garden of Unearthly Delights, and it almost sounds like a completely different band (Lehan, Griffiths and Smail being long gone might also have something to do with that).

Read more »

No, it’s not news. If it was, it would be this color. But just think about it: the tour dates are announced, you read it on Blabbermouth or on StonerRock ? or, Iommi forbid, you read it here ? and you see that coming to whatever midsized venue nearest you, wherever you are in the US, is the package tour of Cathedral, Grand Magus, Electric Wizard, Orange Goblin, with Solace opening. Full US run of shows, probably 40 dates or so. All the old-man doom you can handle and then some.