Pagan Altar
| Company type | Band |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1978 in Brockley, London, United Kingdom |
| Founder | Terry Jones, Alan Jones |
| Headquarters | Brockley, London , United Kingdom |
| Products | Heavy metal and doom metal music |
| Website | www |
Pagan Altar is a British band known for their contributions to heavy metal and doom metal. Founded in 1978 in Brockley, London, by Terry Jones and his son Alan, they emerged during the new wave of British heavy metal (NWOBHM) movement.
History
During the NWOBHM period, Pagan Altar released only one demo album, self-titled and independently produced. This recording circulated extensively through bootlegs before being officially reissued as "Volume 1" by Oracle Records in 1998.
The group reunited in 2004 to produce previously unreleased tracks from their early years. Their album Lords of Hypocrisy was well received by fans, followed by the release of Mythical and Magical in 2006.
In 2008, Pagan Altar shared the stage as co-headliners at the "Metal Brew" Festival in Mill Hill alongside Cloven Hoof. They also appeared at the "British Steel IV" Festival held at Camden Underworld in 2009. The band took the headline spot at "British Steel V" in April 2011 and later led the lineup at the "Live Evil" Festival in October that same year.
Work on Never Quite Dead began in 2012 within a studio constructed at Terry Jones's residence. By 2013, the band's lineup included Dean Alexander on drums, Vinny Konrad on guitar, and William Gallagher handling bass duties.
Vocalist Terry Jones passed away from cancer on 15 May 2015. At that time, the band had finished recording their forthcoming album, which was undergoing final mastering. In 2017, Alan Jones revealed intentions to partially re-record the album due to dissatisfaction with the initial mix. The most recent release is a collection of early rehearsal recordings titled The Story of Pagan Altar, issued in 2021.
Musical style
Pagan Altar, together with Witchfinder General, stands out as one of the rare NWOBHM groups dedicated to doom metal. Their live performances are characterized by heavy, atmospheric, and grand compositions enhanced by stage effects that emphasize their interest in occult subject matter.
Albums
- Judgement of the Dead (1982)
- Lords of Hypocrisy (2004)
- Mythical and Magical (2006)
- Room of Shadows (2017)
- The Story of Pagan Altar (2021)
- Never Quite Dead (2025)
EP
- The Time Lord (2004; special edition reissued in 2012)
Singles
- "Walking in the Dark" / Jex Thoth – "Stone Evil" (Split single, 2007)
- "Portrait of Dorian Gray" / "Beltaine's Joy" (Imperial Anthems split single, 2011)
- "Walking in the Dark" / "Narcissus" (2013)
Demo
- Pagan Altar (1982)