Review of Elder - "Lore"

INDEPENDENT INSANITY

By: Geoff Teach

If you have been searching for a band with that perfect blend of Mastodon’s jam out capabilities and The Sword’s proto-fuzz sensibilities, then look no further than Boston’s Elder. Combining these two attributes with their own interpretation of stoner metal, the Massachusetts trio are releasing their third full-length album “Lore” (Armageddon Label) next week, and although the record features a mere five cuts, it still manages to clock in at just under an hour, as only one of the five tracks is under ten minutes long (“Deadweight”, nine minutes, thirty seven seconds).

Elder’s “Lore” is pure stoner proto-metal: fuzzy, heavy, melodic, and entrancing. Easy to get lost in, every single track on “Lore” is a doozy. Starting off with “Compendium”, Elder immediately introduces you to their penchant for elaboration and mesmerism, as “Compendium” rocks and sways away for over ten minutes. Next, “Legend” riffs and jams for over twelve minutes, however, it is the following title track “Lore” that not only takes the cake for the longest cut at over fifteen minutes, but also as the finest track on the album. “Lore” covers the whole gamut of musical dynamics, with parts that rock, parts that roll, and parts that simply hypnotize – it is certainly my favorite cut out of the five.

Finishing out with the aforementioned “Deadweight” and the beautiful, acoustically-accented “Spirit at Aphelion” (one of my other favorites), Elder are releasing an album that should appeal to fans of both rock and metal, as “Lore” expertly flirts with the ages-old edge between the two. Rich in composition, production, and competence, Elder’s “Lore” is certainly one of my “can’t miss” albums of early 2015. Go and pre-order a copy today, and KEEP IT METAL! \m/

To listen to “Compendium” off of “Lore”, just press play below!