Albums

Album Review: Elysia

[Album: Lion Of Judas]
[Label: Ferret Music]

Sacramento-based deathcore mob Elysia have had to, by their own admission, do a lot of growing up. After starting the band as a fifteen-year-old high-school student, vocalist Zak Vargas has weathered storms of criticisms over the band’s lyrical content (accusations of homophobia and disgust, at the graphic nature of Vargas’ choice of words, abounded), a slew of line-up changes, and even a change of band name. Five years on from their inception and Elysia have apparently grown up on ‘Lion of Judas’, addressing issues such as women’s rights, religion, and passing social judgment.

This would be all very well and noble if only Elysia’s musical style lent itself to the clear articulation of these thoughts. As it is, the band’s sound is a hammer blow of hardcore metal, and Vargas’ guttural screams are as impassioned as they are utterly incomprehensible; he could be waxing lyrical about the glories of a rose in bloom for all one can tell… Vargas beats this noise out of his body as droning metal riffs create fissures in their sonic playground, veering from the glowering and threatening to the outright frantic, each song seeming to segue effortlessly into the next.

This is just as well since only two songs, ‘Crown of Thorns’ and closer ‘Lion of Judas’, breach the 4-minute mark, making each song too short to appreciate in its own right. This is perhaps understandable for hardcore bands thrashing away for their very lives, but Elysia’s sound is far too ponderous and deliberate to dwell so briefly on each song.

This analysis serves only to gloss over the most obvious conclusion to be made about the album; ‘Lion of Judas’ is tiresome, repetitive and simply dire. Anyone brave enough to listen to the whole album (which is almost mercifully short at a mere 28 minutes) will find the monotony setting in sooner rather than later; picking out positive moments is a chore. Elysia have neither the subtlety of the post-hardcore metal crowd (Isis, Devil Sold His Soul, Bossk) or the true urgency of genuine hardcore bands, and their attempt to find a middle ground is betrayed by their lack of maturity, and inability to effectively craft their songs.

It’s sad to say that, in certain markets and among a particularly undiscerning demographic, this will sell, and kids with tight jeans, stark crosses emblazoned upon their clenched fists and flesh tunnels the size of sewers will attend their “shows” and remark eloquently upon how “rad” Elysia are. In truth, Elysia still have a lot of growing up to do and a lot of graft is needed to bring their music up to scratch. Don’t even think about buying this, unless it’s a gift for someone you truly, truly hate.

For fans of: Converge, Suicide Silence, This Is Hell
Band link = Elysia

Buy this CD!

Bookmark to:

Previous & Next