Pale Horse

Pale Horse

Pale Horse is a UK group from London, active from 2000. It plays in the area of metal, noise, hardcore, sludge metal and metalcore, and releases music on Candlelight Records.

Line-up and formation

The London band forms in 2000 from the remains of three UK hardcore groups: Abjure, Kneejerk and Sunstarvedday. The early line-up includes Sandro Ferramacho on vocals, Seedi on vocals, Tom Fowler and John Atkins on bass, and Ben Dawson on drums. The group is known for having two bassists in its original line-up. Its members also have connections to other acts including Thanksfornothing, Garuda, Armed Response Unit, The Record Buying Public, Million Dead, Queen of Swords, The Aftermath, Mothlite and Mongol Horde.

The present membership is Ben Dawson, Mark Dicker and Tom Fowler.

Sound and live activity

The band begins by playing with very high volume and heavy riffs, and its early live reputation centres on intense performances. Its first gig takes place at the Red Eye club on Copenhagen Street in North London, a venue that later closes.

Releases

In 2003, Pale Horse releases Gee, That Ain’t Swell on DryRun Recordings. The band tours the UK around this period and forms a close connection with the northern grind band Narcosis, with the two groups’ contrasting fast and slow styles described as complementary. A split release between them is planned but does not happen after Narcosis splits up.

After that release, Nikolai Grune joins on vocals. He has previously worked with Dawson and Fowler in a short-lived grind project called Onaprienko, which does not release anything.

The band later pauses when Dawson’s commitments to Million Dead make it difficult to continue. During this period Fowler joins Million Dead as guitarist after Cameron Dean leaves the group. Pale Horse reconvenes in 2005, and after Fowler decides not to continue, James Bryant joins on bass.

In 2008, the band releases the EP Habitual Linestepper on Eyesofsound. The record includes a backwards version of the final track from Gee, That Ain’t Swell, renamed “Waited”, as well as older material written with Fowler and one track written with Bryant. After this EP, Seedi leaves the band and continues to play with Dawson in Armed Response Unit.

The group later releases Soft as Butter; Hard as Ice on Eyesofsound and continues writing new material. Mark Dicker contributes vocals and electronics, including work with Trencher.

Later writing

By 2011, Pale Horse is writing songs for a split release with Connecticut’s Unforgiven and a new full-length album.

Other uses of the name

The name Palehorse is also used by other unrelated bands, including a Connecticut hardcore band and a Finnish metal band previously called Amendfoil.