Cathedral The Last Spire

2013, Lee Dorrian, mouthpiece of Cathedral for 23 years, solemnly intone the death rites of this mighty British metal Titan. Born in the dying days of Thatcher's Britain, bonding over then-unfashionable, obscure names like Saint Vitus, Pentagram, Trouble and Dream Death, Cathedral's sole ambition was to record a demo tape. In fact they revolutionized doom metal, first pushing their influences into new avenues of grinding extremity, then pioneering groovier forms of ´70s-indebted stoner doom. They've remained a reassuring and singular presence in our lives, building a rabid following worldwide with their wholly distinctive blend of rollicking British heavy metal, true doom, 70s hard rock, psych-folk, mad prog and spiky crust-punk. Clearly there was new impetus for reconnecting with that early spirit of doleful abjection, of sinister obsessions and lamented desires; on THE LAST SPIRE Cathedral are literally doomed. We are commiserating the celebration, and in what thrilling style.