''The Carnival Bizarre'' is the third album by British doom metal band

Cathedral A cathedral is a church that contains the '' cathedra'' () of a bishop, thus serving as the central church of a diocese, conference, or episcopate. Churches with the function of "cathedral" are usually specific to those Christian denominatio ...

, released in September 1995 through

Earache Ear pain, also known as earache or otalgia, is pain in the ear. Primary ear pain is pain that originates from the ear. Secondary ear pain is a type of referred pain, meaning that the source of the pain differs from the location where the pain i ...

. Released in 1996, the related ''Hopkins (The Witchfinder General)'' EP features that titular track along with four additional songs.

Critical reception

Jem Aswald, in ''

Trouser Press ''Trouser Press'' was a rock and roll magazine started in New York in 1974 as a mimeographed fanzine by editor/publisher Ira Robbins, fellow fan of the Who Dave Schulps and Karen Rose under the name "Trans-Oceanic Trouser Press" (a reference ...

'', wrote: "Pagan idolatry aside, ''Carnival Bizarre'' is Cathedral’s best and tightest album yet, rectifying many of the indulgences of the past and concentrating on throbbing grooves and viscous riffage – and a shout-out to Huggy Bear."

Track listing

Personnel

Cathedral

Lee Dorrian Lee Dorrian (born 5 June 1968) is an English singer, best known as a former member of grindcore band Napalm Death and later frontman of doom metal band Cathedral. Career During his early teenage years, Dorrian was the editor of a local punk f ...

– vocals, sleeve concept *

Garry Jennings Garry "Gaz" Jennings is an English musician best known for his work as the guitarist for doom metal band Cathedral. In addition, he has also worked as the guitarist of thrash metal band Acid Reign, punk rock band Septic Tank and heavy metal ...

– guitar, mellotron (5, 8), keyboard (4, 10), percussion (5, 10), choir (4) * Leo Smee – bass, mellotron (3, 8), choir (4) * Brian Dixon – drums, choir (4)

Additional musicians

Tony Iommi Anthony Frank Iommi () (born 19 February 1948) is a British musician. He co-founded the pioneering heavy metal band Black Sabbath, and was the band's guitarist, leader and primary composer and sole continuous member for nearly five decades. I ...

– guitar (3) *

Kenny Ball Kenneth Daniel Ball (22 May 1930Larkin C., ''Virgin Encyclopedia of Sixties Music''. (Muze UK Ltd, 1997), p. 29; ) – 7 March 2013) was an English jazz musician, best known as the bandleader, lead trumpet player and vocalist in Kenny Ball and ...

–

trumpet The trumpet is a brass instrument commonly used in classical and jazz ensembles. The trumpet group ranges from the piccolo trumpet—with the highest register in the brass family—to the bass trumpet, pitched one octave below the standard ...

(7) * Mitchell Dickinson – gong (3), choir (4)

Technical personnel

* Kit Woolven – production, engineering * Doug Cook – assistant engineering * Noel Summerville – mastering * Dave Patchett – front cover * Leilah Wendell – inside art * Ray Palmer – photography * Aston Stephens – layout

References

Cathedral (band) albums 1995 albums Earache Records albums {{1990s-metal-album-stub