Without wishing to appear parochial, when it comes to doom-infused metal the United Kingdom provides the most fertile ground. It could be the post-industrial landscape, or just as easily be the grey, leaden skies, but whatever the reason, Britain has consistently produced great bands of the downtuned variety and a prime example are Pagan Altar. Formed in London in 1979, the band were part of the burgeoning NWOBHM scene and only released a solitary demo during their original tenure. Although recorded in 1982 their debut album (Volume 1) didn’t see the light of day until 1998, whilst their unfinished second album, Lords Of Hypocrisy, was finally completed when the band reformed in 2004. Well regarded by doom aficionados, that album now gets a loving reissue via Dying Victims Promotions to shine a light on this often overlooked gem.

Those with a penchant for doom (or heavy metal in general) will find a spiritual home in opening and title-track ‘Lords Of Hypocrisy’. Powered forth by a humongous riff (the kind which forms Tony Iommi’s dreams), this is a hard, muscular track that’s full of pounding drums and soaring solos and sets out the band’s stall for the coming 50-minutes. There’s an effortless crossover appeal that’ll adhere the album to a wide spectrum of fans, not only doomsters but those who appreciate metal in such variants such as trad and NWOBHM. Pagan Altar are kind enough to wear their influences on their sleeves and Sabbath are easily detectable within the band’s trademark bludgeon (but what metal band doesn’t owe a debt to Birmingham’s finest?), yet any inspiration here is precisely that; a springboard towards something more original, and Pagan Altar definitely have their own thing going on. Much of their originality comes from the distinctive vocals of Terry Jones; while his nasal style might be “Marmite” to some, it is a perfect fit for the music, and perhaps most importantly, the lyrics. Like the very best heavy metal, the words to the likes of ‘Armageddon’ are a mixture of Arthurian legend and Walter Scott inspired science fiction and the authoritative tone with which he delivers the lyrics to ‘The Interlude’ and ‘The Aftermath’ gives things a story-by-the-fireside feel which is in perfect sync with the epic songs. Both words and music combine to create songs that are fully three-dimensional, they come living and breathing entities that will place vivid images in your mind’s eye.

For some reason Pagan Altar never reached the heights their potential hinted at during their original incarnation, but I guess it was easy to get lost in the shuffle during those heady NWOBHM days. However, since the band’s reformation it has been very much full steam ahead, and with this reissue of Lords Of Hypocrisy out in the world, Pagan Altar are going to finally hit those peaks.

• Lords Of Hypocrisy is released via Dying Victims Productions on 23rd January 2026.
• Official Website | Facebook

Track List:

1. The Lords Of Hypocrisy
2. Satan’s Henchmen
3. Sentinels Of Hate
4. Armageddon
5. The Interlude
6. The Aftermath
7. The Masquerade
8. The Devil Came Down To Brockley
9. March Of The Dead