Pagan Altar The Time Lord CD Review

This week’s flashback is another release that’s not necessarily old in terms of release age, but more so it’s the material within that I’m considering. Legendary NWOBHM/Doom Metal stalwarts Pagan Altar’s “The Time Lord” EP has been released to death at this point with the first pressing being released in 2004 by the label, “I Hate Records” and the latest pressing coming from Dying Victims Productions in 2024. In total there have been 27 different pressings/formats released since ’04 – that’s an insane amount, but each of these pressings have been limited and they all sell out rather quickly. Each pressing has been offered in different variations, colors, formats and so on. Personally, I have one of each of the earlier pressings on both vinyl and CD.
 
Why the need for so many presses or why do they sell out? Well, it depends on who you ask and what kind of music fan you are. For me it’s more about the music presented within as opposed to current trends. Pagan Altar isn’t a household name and never has been. Outside of the Doom community, this band hardly exists. Although the band was started in 1978 by father/son duo Alan and Terry Jones, the band never really caught on. That’s not a dig, because you’ll have to look far and wide to find a bigger fan than me. As a lover of underground music, I’ve long been a trader of music and that’s where I first heard Pagan Altar – tape trading. I got a duped tape of the band’s first release (Judgement of the Dead) in the mid 80’s and it was love at first listen. Pagan Altar’s sound/music/lyrical content while somewhat similar to Sabbath’s has always offered a bit more of a sinister and Occult feel in my opinion. As opposed to just mentioning “Satan” or “Lucifer” the lyrics backed up the music and caressed every Horror/Occult urge/notion I’d ever felt. Given that I’m a Horror Movie fanatic, specifically Hammer Horror, the music of Pagan Altar scratched that itch instantly. It was British, the lyrics were Cultish and with the band not being very popular, it made them even more mysterious to me. There are so many instances in their music where I have vivid images of sacred rituals being carried out, it all stems from the music and the hours of Hammer Horror that I’ve soaked up.
 
Getting to The Time Lord EP, this EP offers up the band’s earliest recordings, some of them would go onto to become classics on the “Judgement of The Dead” album, so these versions are a bit atmospheric and raw. I use the term “raw” loosely, mind you, these recordings aren’t slack, they’re great! The band comes across hungry and excited to be doing their thing – you can tell they were breaking new ground and surprising themselves. The obvious stand out to me is the tune “Time Lord”, an eight-minute galloping ride through darkness, time and space. Classic guitar riffs and soaring leads echo all throughout the track while vocalist Terry Jones’ lyrics whip the listener into a maddening frenzy. I’m no cosmonaut by any means, but after a few listens here, I want to be one! “Highway Cavalier” is another track that didn’t see the light of day until this release. On this tune the band come out swinging, firing on all cylinders with a blistering up-tempo opus that could only be described as classic NWOBHM. For me, this is one of the band’s most unique tracks I’ve heard to date, it’s not typical at all, which makes it fun for me, it’s unexpected. The versions of “Judgement of the Dead” and “Black Mass” heard here show signs of tape sources so the quality is a bit on the lo-fi side, but the atmospheric elements and the creepy factors are much more pronounced than the versions that we’re used to. Jones’ vocals on “Judgement” sound like they were recorded in a giant hall, so the echo is prominent making the lyrics much more powerful.

The Time Lord EP from Pagan Altar is an essential piece to any Metal and Horror fan’s collection. It doesn’t matter which press or format you choose to go with, you can’t miss. The only way you can miss is by not having it on your shelves. If you haven’t heard the band, take a few moments or hours and take a quick dive into their catalog, I promise you won’t come away disappointed. This is still “THE AGE OF SATAN”!

~Black Angel