Review Summary: The other half of Cathedral's finest duology!
Released in 1995, The Carnival Bizarre saw Cathedral continuing the stylistic transformation that had begun on The Ethereal Mirror. Rather than returning to the crushing funeral doom of Forest of Equilibrium, the band embraced an even richer blend of stoner metal, hard rock, psychedelia and classic heavy metal, while still preserving a darker edge beneath the surface.
The opening half is outstanding. Vampire Sun wastes no time introducing the album's direct and rock-oriented approach, while Hopkins (The Witchfinder General) delivers one of Cathedral's greatest songs, packed with unforgettable riffs, brilliant instrumental passages and a wonderfully entertaining lyrical theme. Utopian Blaster continues the momentum with another excellent stoner anthem, while Night of the Seagulls pays tribute to the Spanish horror filmmaker Amando de Ossorio and his legendary Blind Dead series, especially the film Night of the Seagulls. Lee Dorrian's admiration for these eerie Templar zombie films is reflected in a darker composition that successfully blends Cathedral's old doom sensibilities with the band's newer stoner direction.
The title track is arguably one of the album's masterpieces, an eight-minute journey through stoner, psychedelia and even hints of drone metal that perfectly showcases the band's adventurous spirit.
Like its predecessor, the album grows darker in its second half. Inertia's Cave and Fangalactic Supergoria remain enjoyable without matching the brilliance of the opening run, while Blue Light provides a refreshing semi-acoustic detour just when the record needs it most. Palace of Fallen Majesty is arguably the weakest track despite its progressive structure, although its second half improves considerably with bass lines that briefly recall Kyuss.
Fortunately, Electric Grave closes the album in magnificent fashion. Its title is an unmistakable tribute to Black Sabbath, and the song itself feels like a heartfelt love letter to their legacy, delivering eight minutes of crushing stoner riffs, irresistible groove and vintage heavy metal spirit that provide a brilliant finale.
Conclusion: The Carnival Bizarre follows the blueprint established by The Ethereal Mirror in both structure and atmosphere. If its predecessor leaned slightly further toward stoner metal, this album reintroduces a little more of Cathedral's doom heritage without sacrificing the groove and rock attitude that made the previous record so successful.
Rather than competing with each other, the two albums form a magnificent duology and represent the creative peak of Cathedral's career. Sadly, that extraordinary run would come to an end with the noticeably weaker Supernatural Birth Machine.
Best Tracks: Hopkins (The Witchfinder General), Vampire Sun, Carnival Bizarre, Night of the Seagulls, Electric Grave.
Rating: ****
