Cathedral (band)

Cathedral

Company type	Band
Industry	Music
Founded	1 July 1989 (1989-07-01) in Coventry, England
Founder	Lee Dorrian, Mark Griffiths, Garry Jennings
Defunct	2013 (2013)
Headquarters	Coventry , England
Products	Music albums, live performances

Cathedral was a doom metal band originating from Coventry, England. They first attracted significant attention with their debut release, Forest of Equilibrium (1991), which is widely regarded as a seminal work within the genre. Over time, their musical style expanded to blend influences from 1970s metal, hard rock, and progressive rock. After producing ten studio albums and engaging in numerous tours spanning more than twenty years, Cathedral concluded their career with the 2013 album The Last Spire before disbanding.

Formation and early years (1989–1991)

In July 1989, Lee Dorrian departed from Napalm Death due to his dissatisfaction with the punk scene and the band's transition toward death metal. The inception of Cathedral occurred when Dorrian teamed up with Mark Griffiths, who had been a roadie for Carcass, bonding over mutual admiration for groups such as Black Sabbath, Candlemass, and Pentagram. Established in 1989 by Dorrian, Griffiths, and Garry Jennings (previously part of thrash metal outfit Acid Reign), Dorrian remained the only original member throughout Cathedral’s existence, although Jennings temporarily left at one point. Their debut album, The Forest of Equilibrium, was issued through Earache. At that time, only a few bands like Winter or Autopsy shared a comparable sound.

Columbia Records era (1992–1994)

Following the release of the Soul Sacrifice EP, Cathedral secured a deal with Columbia Records, which facilitated their extensive two-month Campaign for Musical Destruction Tour across the United States. Dorrian described their tenure with Columbia as "surreal," highlighting how the label attempted to position them as a potential successor to Black Crowes, despite their underground origins. He reflected on this period as one where heavy music was experiencing a creative high point, with death metal at its peak, and Columbia possibly viewing Cathedral as the next step forward.

In 1992, Cathedral joined forces on tour in the US alongside Carcass, Napalm Death, and Brutal Truth during the Campaign for Musical Destruction.

Their major label debut album, The Ethereal Mirror (1993), received acclaim for its adventurous approach, incorporating faster tempos and groove-oriented guitar work. Nonetheless, Columbia dropped the band in 1994.

Return to Earache Records (1995–2001)

Cathedral resumed their relationship with Earache Records until 2001. Throughout this phase, they released four albums that featured quicker rhythms alongside guitar riffs inspired by 1970s hard rock before reverting to a slower style with Endtyme in 2001.

Label changes and later years (2002–2010)

The band signed with Spitfire Records, releasing The VIIth Coming. After just one album under Spitfire, they transitioned to Nuclear Blast where they produced their final three records: the creatively ambitious yet inconsistent The Garden of Unearthly Delights, the two-disc The Guessing Game, recognized as their most psychedelic and progressive effort, and finally the farewell album embodying "true doom," The Last Spire.

The Last Spire era and hiatus (2011–present)

Although Cathedral had contemplated ending the band earlier, particularly after the release of 2006's The Garden of Unearthly Delights, on 6 February 2011 they declared their intention to disband following the April 2013 launch of The Last Spire. Dorrian regarded the band's 21-year existence as a fitting conclusion. Their final live appearance took place during the 2012 Soundwave tour in Perth, Western Australia.

Prior to releasing their concluding album, Dorrian dismissed reunion speculations as "completely ridiculous," while guitarist Gaz Jennings described the chances of regrouping as "extremely unlikely." After disbanding, three of Cathedral’s last lineup members established Septic Tank. In a 2020 conversation with Decibel, Dorrian reiterated his doubts about any reunion, stressing that reassembling solely for monetary reasons would betray the band’s foundational principles.

Musical style

Cathedral’s body of work demonstrates significant stylistic evolution. While their debut Forest of Equilibrium was firmly anchored in slow, heavy doom metal, elements reminiscent of 1970s metal and groovier riffs began appearing with the Soul Sacrifice EP. By the time of The Ethereal Mirror, the band had embraced more pronounced 1970s influences, even incorporating disco-inspired sounds on tracks like "Midnight Mountain".

Founder Lee Dorrian explained that Cathedral’s initial sound merged their extreme metal roots with inspirations drawn from groups such as Vitus, Pentagram, and the Obsessed. Their objective was to contemporize and amplify this style by integrating heavier, downtuned guitar riffs, a direction realized on their first album.

Starting with the Soul Sacrifice EP, the infusion of 1970s elements broadened their sonic palette. With the release of 2001's Endtyme, Cathedral revisited slower doom metal components that had been less evident in preceding records.

The album The Guessing Game represented a move toward more progressive and psychedelic sounds. Dorrian observed that the band felt secure enough to emphasize these influences without fully transitioning into progressive rock territory, maintaining a balance between experimentation and their established identity.

Dorrian highlighted Cathedral’s dedication to continuous artistic growth:

Final lineup

• Lee Dorrian – vocals (1989–2013)
• Garry Jennings – guitars (1989–2013), bass (1993–1994), keyboards (1994–1996)
• Brian Dixon – drums (1994–2013)
• Scott Carlson – bass (2011–2013)

Past members

• Andy Baker – drums (1989)
• Adam Lehan – guitars (1989–1994)
• Mark Griffiths – bass (1989–1993), guitars (1989)
• Ben Mochrie – drums (1989–1991)
• Mike Smail – drums (1991–1992)
• Mark Ramsey Wharton – drums, flute (1992–1994), keyboards (1992)
• Leo Smee – bass, keyboards, flute (1994–2011)

Touring musicians

• Victor Griffin – guitars (1994)
• Joe Hasselvander – drums (1994)
• Barry Stern – drums (1994–1995)
• Dave Hornyak – drums (1995)
• Max Edwards – bass (2003–2004)

Albums

• Forest of Equilibrium (1991)
• The Ethereal Mirror (1993)
• The Carnival Bizarre (1995)
• Supernatural Birth Machine (1996)
• Caravan Beyond Redemption (1998)
• Endtyme (2001)
• The VIIth Coming (2002)
• The Garden of Unearthly Delights (2005)
• The Guessing Game (2010)
• The Last Spire (2013)

Further reading

• "Doom Top Tens: The Depths of Doom" (2006). Terrorizer, issue 144, pages 52–53.

External resources

• Cathedral discography at Last.fm