A STORY OF DARKNESS & LIGHT

During the pandemic of 2021 many artists and bands had to get creative when it came to playing live or recording together. After a long winter of isolation in Berlin, Germany two stoner rock bands based there decided to get together and make some music together. ELDER and KADAVAR would spend four months holed up in KADAVAR's Robotor Studios from March to June of that year. A six piece here as ELDER's bass player wasn't allowed to fly in from America. So two drummers but Tiger from KADAVAR spent almost all of his time on the synths early on during these sessions. He also recorded, mixed and mastered this record.

Interesting to see Kristof Hahn from SWANS adding some lap steel guitar on one track. That song is "El Matador" and it also features some female backing vocals. The only two guests on the album. You might think these two bands would be letting their hair down at this point, with Spring on the way and getting out of isolation etc. But no, this is a very reflective album. Quite spacey and atmospheric with FLOYD coming to mind a few times. It's an organic and warm record that seems to pulse with the ocean and earth at the same time.

I should mention that both of these bands began as trios, and it was only the year before these sessions that ELDER became a four piece, while KADAVAR would do the same and expand to four in 2023. And I do like that they combined their names to get ELDOVAR. My top three would include the 9 1/2 minute opener called "From Deep Within". Beautiful guitar melodies to start as the atmosphere swells. Keyboards follow then a second guitar arrives. Vocals at 1 1/2 minutes then beats and bass. It does get heavier after 3 minutes. Love that sound after 6 minutes bringing to mind ANEKDOTEN. Must be the mellotron. A spacey ending to this one.

Next top three is "Raspletin". The short track before it called "Rebirth Of The Twins" almost sounds like an intro to this one. Combined it's 8 minutes. Anyways I was thinking of early PORCUPINE TREE just after a minute as sounds echo. So psychedelic here. And so good! Guitar will come out of this around 2 minutes almost grinding away.

Final top three is the longest track called "Blood Moon Night" at 11 minutes. I wish this was the closer as the short "Cherry Trees" ends it and that's my least favourite song on here. Very cool to hear electronics end this long track. And the warmth of the way it starts. Some great contrasts here and how about the galloping rhythm? It becomes very FLOYD-like with vocals, including the guitar after 4 1/2 minutes. Some heaviness before 6 minutes is welcomed before electronics arrive to end it.

While "El Matador" and "In The Way" didn't make my top three they are right there, and if included would give me a great top five. Just a classy package overall with some nature pictures in black and white along with some pictures of the sessions also in black and white. Easily four stars for this apparent one-off.