Pale Horse Ritual – Diabolic Formation

by Mark 'Yeti' Richard · December 31, 2025

Pale Horse Ritual is a heavy fuzzed-out doom metal wrecking machine from Hamilton, Ontario, in Canada. The band consists of: Paco on bass, vocals, acoustic, guitar, James Matheson on lead guitar, Will Adams on rhythm guitar, backing vocals, and keys, and Jonah Santa-Barbara on drums. Their put out an EP in 2024 called Enchantress, and just released their debut full length album entitled Diabolic Formation on November 28th 2025. It was released on Black Throne Productions and contains seven tracks in thirty eight minutes.

An ultra-fuzzy bass riff starts off the instrumental opening track “Deflowered”. A slow and heavy psychedelic doom explosion of menacing Sabbath drenched riffs and a barrage of dense metal tones. Scorching guitar leads color the track as it lumbers and enters your subconscious. “Wickedness” sets in and completely annihilates with a funky wah-guitar of fuzzed out doom. The vocals have an Ozzy appeal in classic doom metal fashion. The song is a heavy and grooving riff machine that has a smooth and catchy chorus. The driving flow of the riffs even features samples and fiery guitar leads to accommodate.

“Holy Lies” continues on with the down tuned onslaught of low end fuzz. The chorded guitar rhythms and simple drum beats coalesce nicely with the melodious vocals and hooks. This is the classic doom metal that I love. It’s slow but not boring and delivers riff after crushing riff, riding on the back of the Black Sabbath bus. The heavy production lends a perfect complement to the devastating music that Pale Horse Ritual is creating. The beautifully dark and dynamic “Save You” stays more subdued and mellow and mesmerizes us with clean guitars, vocals, and synth. It has an illuminating psychedelic feel as it gently guides us along for the ride.

The next track called “Bloody Demon” takes us back into the oozing fuzz of doom. The sludgy riffs are a nice match for the smooth vocals that leads you along. Diabolic Formation is full on spectacular! I really enjoy the heavy grooves and bulldozing riffage that Pale Horse Ritual are doing. The scorching guitar leads are definitely an interesting enhancement to the overall sound of the band. “D.E.D.” Is as classic and excellent of a blues infused doom rock delicacy as anything else. It’s a slow rager that sounds so malevolent. The vocals are dirty and raspy and work great with the swampy rhythms.

The final piece is called “A Beautiful End”, and that is exactly what the song accomplishes for this exceptional album. The haunting score of vocals overlapping the massive riffs is beyond heavy. Pale Horse Ritual has the perfect utilization of keyboards and synthesized sounds that are layered in such throughput Diabolic Formation. I wasn’t expecting this record to sound this crushing and satisfying. This band has got a style that is so potent and powerful that it’s hard to replicate the classics. However, they have simply mastered this articulation and delivered a truly relentless battering ram of traditional doom.