elder - dead roots stirring

whoa! didn't see that coming. their first, self-titled album was good, sure but it really didn't herald what 'dead roots stirring' was holding. but from the beginning. as you could read in the preceding post i found this record at burnout record store, or rather i overlooked it. at first sight i believed it to be another copy of the self-titled one.

only when i considered what records i should buy among the ones i picked for quick listenings, i realised that there was a copy of 'dead roots stirring' waiting for me. suddenly i was hopping around like a little child bursting with excitement. as i actually already forgot about the re-press it was pretty cool to have a copy in hands now.

i spared me the quick listen and took all the three elder records burnout had to offer. the music of 'dead roots...' is simply awesome. all five songs are absolute crackers. elder evolved from their solid stoner metal of the first record into a dreamy and melodic stoner monster which can't be denied. if i should compare them to other bands, i'd say they sound like the perfect mixture of high on fire's stoner urge and baroness' feeling for melodics.

the band hails from boston/providence and is a three-piece. they say about themselves that since this record the band tries to take the legacy of sleep and black sabbath and arrange their own unique wall of sound around this basis. with their lengthy epics they do just that. check out the whole album via this tube link and then go get a copy here.

the album was released through meteor city records and the vinyl rights were liscensed to headspin from the netherlands. this is the second re-press, so three pressings in total. the gatefold sleeve is graced with beautiful artwork. those smooth lines and warm colours. on top the lovely vinyl colour match. 200 copies on wine red with black marble vinyl. headspin records. 2011/2015.

elder - s/t

i didn't hear much about elder in the past. even though i am on quite a doom/stoner kick as of lately and i definitely hear some high on fire references here, it seems the band is widely overlooked. but maybe that is just my perception. i am not quite sure anymore if that was the way i stumbled upon elder first but i have read an review for the new record 'lore' in the fuze magazine.

the fuze magazine is a fine german hardcore and metal fanzine which i get with orders or can take for free at burnout record store or other stores. it features a lot of interesting interviews and helpful reviews, as they don't praise every new album in principle. they do real statements and i appreciate this. the review to 'lore' however was pretty positive and so i checked them.

i listened to some stuff of said new album and some tunes of 'dead roots stirring' and i really liked what i heard. so i checked the net for physical copies. i came across a dutch label called headspin records that recently re-pressed the first two elder records. just in time for the new album 'lore'. business sense they call that and i am right there to open my wallet.

when i wanted to order the records, headspin didn't have them in stock yet. as i couldn't find any information as to when they would be available, i forgot about it. just too many other pre-orders going on these days. when my girlfriend and me were killing time in hamburg two weeks ago, of course i was visiting burnout record store and couldn't overlook a bulging elder section. except of 'lore' and the roadburn live album, which i don't want anyway, they had all elder vinyl releases in stock.

the first i feature here is the self titled debut from 2008. maybe this album will grow on me over time but for now it's essential to understand elder's background but not for the music on its own. it's not bad by far, great stoner metal but it lacks those unbelievable catchy hooks of later work and therefore misses a bit of idividuality. still a damn solid debut. the re-press looks way more red than mixed with gold. the streaks in the third picture are actually the gold marble. beautiful artwork. 200 copies made. headspin records. 2015.