I don’t know much about Fresno, truth be told. I do know that Donny from The Big Lebowski used to surf the shores of Fresno, but that’s not immediately useful in the context of telling you about this album from Elder Devil. They are, of course, based in Fresno, but I am unaware of either their surfing habits, nor how good they are at surfing or fighting nihilists.

Torturous opening paragraphs aside, Elder Devil are a particularly abrasive death-grind act. “Everything Worth Loving” is a strange beast though, but none the worse for it. I have to say that I really enjoyed both the discordant and frequently quite obscure take on grind, with odd time changes and skronking Voivodian guitar moments to compliment the relentless blast beats and high, quite treble heavy guitar sound. In many repects, this is quite a poetic record. Now, if you were to listen to, for example, “Awash in Light”, you might be tempted to think that this is something like hearing a fairly standard grind band, but this is followed immediately by something far more atmospheric and progressive like “My Body is an Earthen Shrine”, which – magpie-like – pilfers moments from black and doom metal alike to add to the sense of disorientation.

If all this is confusing, don’t worry – the album itself can be a perplexing spin first time round. Amidst the chaos and confusion, however, there are plenty of moments of weird beauty that just seem to stick in the mind. You may also wonder why I called it poetic earlier? A lot of that has to do with the lyrics. As an example, take the lyrics to lumpy, fierce outpouring of emotion that is “New Grief”

Wait a minute, is this the same feeling when you say it isn’t?
Is this the bright sun when the snow is falling?
Are these the deaf ears when you hear me calling?
I’m not sure that I want to know.
But I’ve lost enough family to make it so.
And I’ve made that resentment grow and grow.
And I’ve felt the pain that mixes with grief.
And I’ve been denied any relief.
Deep cuts, large tears, new grief, old despair.
Burned hand, ripped skin, years gone, never again.
These thoughts are most unwelcome.
But they are not going anywhere.

As a reviewer who lost a relative in the last couple of years, I have to say that I found these lyrics really resonated with me in quite a deep way. The vocal delivery is nestled somewhere between Eyehategod and Acid Bath, and that’s intended to be a compliment in the most specific way. This is an album that oozes atmosphere, disquiet and disorder. You’re unlikely to pop it on at the neighbourhood barbeque and head-bang your way through it, but it is something that I believe could be a cult classic for all of us who like our music to be painful, scoring and scarring.

In terms of production, spot on for what it needs to be. It should be sharp – a pin in the ear – and that’s absolutely what it is. All the edges are frazzled. The bottom end a little jarring; the drums slightly echoey and the bass more or less doing its own thing. Those guitars sounding like a klaxon across the words, screamed into your ears. Bad times. Good tunes.

It’s a thinking man’s journey through sonic discomfort. Worth repeated listens to pan for Gold.

(8/10 Chris Davison)

https://www.facebook.com/ElderDevil

https://elderdevil.bandcamp.com/album/everything-worth-loving