Pale Endless : Pale Endless

Pale Endless, which consists of Jason(drums) and Lea(bass/keys) Bledsoe, were formally the heavy and atmospheric duo Noise-A-Tron. Distorted bass lines coalesced with feedback walls and drums that would have sounded at home on a Godflesh album. With their evolution from Noise-A-Tron to Pale Endless the band takes on a far more ambient and sinister atmosphere. Incantations evolve into industrial-adjacent nightmare Goth.

The music on Pale Endless’ SFI Recordings debut is more Haxan Cloak and Suicide than the usual synth/drum duos like Zombi, Pinkish Black, or label mates Delta IV. Gothic undertones emanate throughout the 5 tracks, painting doomsday landscapes and end times nightmares. Synths create an atmosphere of dread and decay, while drums build march-like rhythms into the unknown.

There’s a constant hum of doom that runs throughout Pale Endless’ self-titled debut. “Introduction” is an almost photo negative take on The Cure’s “Plain Song”; a big, monolithic sound that seems to emanate from some ancient chasm. Drums, bass, and synths echo out delivering a message from beyond. “One” buzzes and aches like a relentless whip slashing through the air. There’s definite Bobby Krlic vibes, bringing to mind the dark industrial world of The Haxan Cloak. Menacing fuzz and tribal drums give us a glimpse of what a synth-driven Sleep might sound like.

“Two” pulls back the curtain to reveal a lighter, more ethereal sound world. Synths trickling with melancholic contemplation, sounding like a soundtrack for the death of the Cosmos. I’m reminded of the great Polish composer Wojciech Golczewski’s analog synth explorations. This is truly a stunning piece of music here. The thoughtful, esoteric “Interlude” leads the way into “Three” which builds to a hovering, menacing finale built on Gothic synths, earth-swallowing bass, and bombastic drums.

Pale Endless’ self-titled debut is big, grand, and lays out their mission statement concisely and clearly, which is take the listener on a journey. Through apocalyptic overtones, ambient-heavy doom, and cinematic heft Pale Endless do that in spades.

Pale Endless’ debut is available now via SFI Recordings.