Elephant Tree

Well, well, well. 2016 has certainly not disappointed yet. In between the amazing releases from the likes of Latitudes, Sedulus, Bossk and Cult of Luna's collaboration with Julie Christmas to name but a few, Elephant Tree have released their debut and it kicks arse.

The great thing about this release is that it all just sounds natural and flows so elegantly. It would have been easy for the boys to simply make Theia part deux but thankfully they haven’t. Instead, they have simply embraced their core sound and love of different styles of psyche rock, stoner and doom, churning out riffs at a pleasant pace and not simply riding a song on a repetitive riff nor cramming filler for the sake of it. However, fans of Theia will be in for somewhat of a surprise at the shift in dynamics but trust me, it is a more than welcome progression.

The sitar has departed and the screamed vocals have been buried in the mix to provide an almost white noise touch rather than being able to scream along but it must be remembered that this is an evolution of a band with buckets full of ear worm songs and a bravery that most bands wouldn’t possess these days after Theia sounding the way it does. The band have simply not added extra ingredients that are not needed for the songs to work. Simply put, these songs just didn’t call for sitar but if you’re really that prissy about it – Riley is still very much in the band so who knows? Maybe they’ll make a return for the next album.

The lads here really have just an admirable love for their influences. Whether it’s the upbeat Corrosion of Conformity esque “Dawn” (A track I initially on first listen felt hearkened back too much to Theia but since getting the album played a lot) or the sheer lung imploder that is “Aphotic Blues”. They have crammed in enough influences here to whet the appetite of most stoner doom fans. Whether it’s the fuzz drenched slammer that is Surma, the beautiful serenade of Circles (that quite frankly I want played at my funeral) or the natural swing of Echoes, this album really does have all you require and it’s addictive. It’s pleasant to hear how it doesn’t require concentrated listening to “get it” where bands such as Neurosis do require that commitment from the listener. That’s not to say that this doesn’t have depth but fuck me, it’s as contagious as the plague and accessible right from the first spin with plenty of little bits that you can pick up on the more you meditate on the album, such as just how imperative the keyboard / piano parts really are for giving the impact on this (Listen to "Surma" and try and take that closing serenade of piano away and it just feels so hollow).

Everything has improved significantly here. The trance like bass tones of Pete Holland, the array of guitar melodies from Jack Townley, the combined riffology from Jack and Pete, hell – even the drums have taken on a more unearthly meditative presence, giving a healthy nod to Chris Hakius that drummer / concussionist Sam Hart should be proud of. Some great timings from the band here too, working as a slick unit - particularly on Aphotic Blues where you will try and count yourself in time so many times to the riff (it’s good fun if you’re a fan of The Melvins like me).

The vocals have soared way above what was achieved on Theia too, fully infectious and just catchy enough that even Jools Holland could probably book them to play “Echoes” on his new years eve hootenanny, although sadly that probably won’t happen because he doesn’t understand heavy music, no matter how many times he drags Mastodon in on occasion. The wank puffin.

I guarantee you will be singing certain parts of this album when going about your daily routines, fantastic voices and great lyrics to match an amazing, well balanced set of songs with an outstanding mix job. This really is a strong contender for debut album of the year.

In closing, it should be noted of Riley McIntyres involvement and direction on this. Whilst there are no sitars and the screams have been buried in the mix to create some cool atmospheres, he has been pivotal here in guiding the good ship that is Elephant Tree into port. Given that after the initial writing of this review I read an interview with guitarist Jack Townley, the genuine seriousness of situations surrounding this album and the sheer earth shattering determination and struggle that went into summoning this work of art really makes the album hit home in a big way. This album is made to be played from start to finish with no skipping as it flows as naturally as Deliverance by Corrosion of Conformity or Sonic Excess in its Purest Form by Crowbar.

In closing, the best way to describe how this album is and how to understand is summarised below.

As heavy as an elephant and wise as an ancient tree. Breathe in. Drop out. Be free.

Jesus, this came as a real surprise. 2014’s Theia was a phenomenal introduction to the band, with Attack of the Altaica becoming an instant favourite of mine. The integration of the sitar into the riff structure was wholly organic and didn’t smack of being gimmicky at all. This self titled release takes that basic blueprint of sludgey stoner doom and just throws so much awesome at it (most of which sticks) that it is almost overwhelming.

Most justifiable complaints about doom is that bands either ape Sabbath, or ape bands that have spent their careers aping Sabbath. Elephant Tree’s music is groove infused bluesy doom that does owe a lot to Birmingham’s finest, but it is the vocals that raise this above the hordes. There are shades of Syd Barrett and Alice in Chains throughout, even The Kinks are detectable in the phrasing during Aphotic Blues. Where most songs on this album have the warm layered vocals up in the mix, Fracture has a cold radio static vocal that sits deep within the thick wall of riffs. Album closer Surma has a group vocal that exemplifies what is so great about Elephant Tree. The variety within the vocals on this album makes repeat listens extremely satisfying.

That’s not to say the music isn’t everything a stoner doom fan could want, because it is. This album causes that involuntary slow head nod that all great doom should. The time signatures occasionally slow to a morose slug with Sam Hart attacking the cymbals like he found out they sent a dick pic to his girlfriend. The bass and guitars are one amorphous beast with some tasty wah drenched noodling atop. In fact, the only criticism of the music is that the sitar isn’t prominent enough for my liking. Surma ends with a plaintive piano riff that is hugely effective, but had me thinking, “You have a sitar player right there, give him something to do!”