Five years on from their debut offering, a demo entitled ‘Bind Us As One’, UK Melodic Death/Doom quartet Elderseer have finally returned to us, and with a debut full length offering in tow no less. Entitled ‘Drowned in the Shallowness’, this lengthy eight track opus will be released in early February on CD by Meuse Music Records, a Belgian label who specialises in the more melodic sides of Death & Doom Metal.

I wasn’t overly excited as the opening track ‘Gilded Shackles’ plodded along upon its merry way, though the direct sounding riffs showed promise. In truth I found the track to be rather ordinary for the most part until towards the latter stages a more chanting vocal style chimed in with some soft backing synth adding a touch of the mediaeval to proceedings, and from there this album started to take off.

With a slower, more malevolent tempo, ‘Under A Dark Sky’ for me is where this album clocks into place and really draws you in. Whereas the drum tones in the opening track were plodding, here they transform into a determined and hypnotic beat that mixes sublimely with low key riffs, shards of synth melody and a sublimely catchy chorus that offers hints of menace and danger, and brings to mind some old school Anathema and Paradise Lost influence, mixed with a huge scoop of Vangelis in the synth work.

Sporting many of the same qualities, ‘This Aesthetic Life’ is another stand out track, where harsh riffs and wandering guitar leads mingle with dark astral harmonies and dual vocal stylings that flow between harsh, guttural growling and a cleaner, more melodic tone. What really stands out for me on this album is the wonderful, eerie soundscapes that wander through the backdrop of each track. The title track especially benefits from this juxtaposition with the band’s usual slow, laborious riffs and grim vocals.

The second half of the album carries on at a steady pace, varying little and whilst not moving into filler territory, certainly maintains the albums status quo, offering little of note and winding away on its own slow journey. A decent album in all, with a couple of very impressive stand out tracks.

(7/10 Marksson)

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https://meusemusicrecords.bandcamp.com/album/elderseer-drown-in-the-shallowness-mmr029