PaganBlack Wash

Bitter, pensive, powerful, and impressive; these are sentiments Melbourne quartet Pagan elicit throughout their highly anticipated debut album Black Wash. After they set fans’ expectations high with the release of their latest single Death Before Disco, can you expect the remaining collection of self-professed rock ‘n’ rock to match the fresh intensity already marked out by this forceful group? Oh, hell yes you can.

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Long making their mark with their sarcastic homage to their Italian heritage and their dynamic showmanship, Pagan’s unique story-telling ability embraces their fierce character and shoves it in your face with a relentless wall of riffs and unapologetic candour.

[It’s] a band whose instruments seemingly tell their own story. They all have their own voice, but have met their soulmates within the church of Pagan.

Black metal? Maybe. Aggravated rock? Absolutely. Frontwoman Nikki Brumen scratches your eardrums with her snarling and passionate tone, accompanied by a band whose instruments seemingly tell their own story. They all have their own voice, but have met their soulmates within the church of Pagan. It all rounds out with a beautiful rage but Black Wash, a story of a group of musicians traipsing individual hells but brought together by the flames of unity, adopts many faces.

Slipping and sliding through attacking riffs in Year Of The Dog to brighter tones of Silver, crashing down again with frantic and bold melodies in The Greatest Love Songs, Pagan’s rebellious attitude and gnarly delivery are a force to be reckoned with.

After listening to Black Wash if you find your ears bleeding but your soul soaring, then consider Pagan’s job done. You will be back for more.

STANDOUT TRACKS: Silver, Blood Moon, Year Of The Dog
STICK THIS NEXT TO: Entombed, Phazm, Six Feet Under