Surely not to everyone’s liking, but this album has been one of my favorites since it came out in 2011. Elder takes an organic approach to heavy music that is 180 degrees from popular math metal.
The songs are long and winding, conjuring the image of an ayahuasca vine taking over the aural landscape. To my mind, the motif of the title track is endurance. Just when you think you have peak ekstasis, the intro is winding down and the remainder of Dead Roots Stirring kicks in.
Jack Donovan’s deliciously dirty tone gets equal sonic space with the guitar/vocals of Nick DiSalvo and Matt Couto’s drums. Whether you are a metal head or not, there is likely something you’re not prepared for in one of this album’s five tracks of elemental syzygy. As I said elsewhere, it is a wonderfully auroboric monstrosity.
