ALBUM REVIEW: Climb into Elder Druid’s Attic

With ‘The Attic Sessions’ Elder Druid load out their music with heavy riff infused full on stoner doom metal and you can feel the influential  vibrations of Black Sabbath, Electric Wizard, Kyuss and Sleep. Each track is saturated with a magical ten ton tunage of heavy fuzzy riffaged wall of sound.

In 2015/16 the band entered the dark recesses of another world through the magical gate that is the Attic Studios and through their special brand of alchemical slow heavy metal they conjured up an amazing EP of rhythmically occult proportions – ‘The Attic Sessions’

While not a convinced fan of the guttural style of singing, Gregg McDowell’s harsh deep vocalistic utterings add to, rather than detract from, the dark enchantment in each song as Elder Druid tell the tale of warring wizards and warlocks, conjuring up a much murkier version of Vincent Price’s ‘The Raven‘. Every instrument, including the vocals, invokes a sorcerous unfathomable horror from the occultic pit with perfection.

This EP has early Black Sabbath all over it in feel and texture, each song feeling like a much darker and heavier re-interpretation of ‘The Wizard’.

The low rumbling rhythm of the strings deliver a ferociousness of stoner purity whilst the drum beat provides the backing that each song deserves and keeps the troops in line. Each track has a low end gritty feel to complement the subject of the song.

The tracks were played live, but feel well rehearsed, professional, tight and on the money. You can’t help but appreciate the craftsmanship of this little gem of an EP. Yes, they have a number of recordings released, but this is the first one I came across and it still is one I come back to from time to time. Its live recording element evokes an almost esoteric and arcane sensation about it as you feel the hidden vibrations of mystical forces trying to break through.

If you like the darker side of roleplaying like Call of Cthulhu (modern may suit this best) for instance, this little beauty is good mood music as you witness your characters slip into the madness induced horror of the Elder Gods.

 

The EP is,

1. Sellsword
2. The Warlock
3. Red Priestess
4. Reigning Hell

Elder Druid
Gregg McDowell – Vocals,
Jake Wallace – Guitar,
Mikey Scott – Guitar,
Dale Hughes – Bass,
Brien Gillen – Drums

The Attic Sessions are available now.

You can also quest for Elder Druid on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram

Also check out Masquerade In Blood blog highlighting Elder Druid and other local Northern Ireland bands