Release Date: October 25th 2024. Record Label: Blues Funeral Recordings. Format: CD/DD/Vinyl
Elephant Tree / Lowrider - The Long Forever - Track Listing:
1. Lowrider - And The Horse You Rode In On
2. Lowrider - Caldera
3. Lowrider - Into The Grey
4. Lowrider - Through The Rift (feat. Elephant Tree)
5. Elephant Tree - Fucked In The Head
6. Elephant Tree - 4 For 2
7. Elephant Tree - Long Forever (feat. Lowrider)
Review
Stoner Metal TITANS Elephant Tree and Lowrider team up for this mighty fine and superbly heavy split album The Long Forever that sees both bands deliver their first new material in over four years. I’m going to say this is perhaps the best split album I’ve heard this decade and sees both bands at the height of their creative powers. Both bands are given the opportunity to play different styles of music that they’re known for whilst playing similar sounds they’ve both built their fearsome reputations with.
Elephant Tree and Lowrider even make guest appearances on each other’s individual tracks with Elephant Tree appearing on Lowrider track Through The Rift and Lowrider appearing on Elephant Tree track Long Forever.
Lowrider tracks are perhaps the more uplifting with a cosmic flow merging into a dominant Progressive Rock attitude with echoes of Post-Stoner grooves appearing throughout the uplifting lyrics with tales of hope amongst the gloomy surroundings of the modern day world which shine right through Caldera and Into The Grey.
This split album allows both bands the time and opportunity to play the heaviest sounds of their careers with Lowrider moving into the Sludge Rock/Metal vortex and Elephant Tree playing a surprising Industrial based sound.
Lowrider’s music shows signs of Sonic Exploration with some deft touches of Psychedelic and Doomed Out instrumental ambient based jams. The vocals have that soaring energy which made their 2020 comeback album Refractions such a classic and landmark release.
According to the PR Blurb, “The Long Forever" takes its title from the nickname Elephant Tree singer and guitarist Jack Townley gave to the multi-week coma he was kept in for medical reasons following a near-fatal biking accident in early 2023.
The standout tracks on the record are when both bands team up for an uplifting and emotionally engaging style for Lowrider track Through The Rift and the sound becoming more gloomier and quite realistic on the Elephant Tree track Long Forever.
Elephant Tree’s side of the record surprised me the most. As you’re taken back by the Industrial charge they lead with Fucked In The Head which isn’t surprising with the terrible accident that Jack Townley experienced and it’s great to see him writing awesome music yet again. This is a different tone and vision from Elephant Tree compared to their 2020 album Habits. The decision from Elephant Tree to go further into the Industrial Rock landscape allows them to delve into heavier areas of Doom Metal which results in some outstanding and highly original slabs of Atmospheric Sludge of their own making on tracks 4 For 2 and Long Forever.
Though, this doesn’t come at the expense of their classic blend of uplifting progressive themes which is still the main focus on the album. Lowrider appearing on Long Forever allows Elephant Tree to write some of the best music of their careers.
The Long Forever is a first rate album by two of the best bands the Doom/Stoner Metal scene has to offer. I’m hoping we have new albums from both bands in 2025 as The Long Forever proves why we need new music from Elephant Tree and Lowrider more than ever before. This is going to be considered a classic album in no time at all. That’s seriously how great this album really is.
Words by Steve Howe
Thanks to Purple Sage PR for the promo.
The Long Forever will be available to buy on CD/DD/Vinyl via Blues Funeral Recordings from Friday 25th October 2024.