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Holocaust: Elder Gods
Holocaust - Elder Gods Music Review

Holocaust: Elder Gods

NWoBHM Progressive Metal
4.0/5.0

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Sleazy Rider Records
Words: Craig Hartranft
Added: 17.04.2019 | Released: 19.04.2019

Holocaust? How do I know that band name? That was my first thought, thought from a fuzzy memory. My next thought was, Geez will people stop pitching me death and black metal bands for review. (And what the word "holocaust" still implies.) Then, in a moment of historical clarity, I remember, didn't Metallica cover some tunes from a NWoBHM band called Holocaust? Indeed they did, just like they were inspired by Diamond Head. Formed better than 40 years ago, Scotland-based Holocaust has had something of a musical revival in the last five years or so. The band, with the only original member, vocalist and guitarist John Mortimer, in charge return with their tenth studio album, Elder Gods.

Holocaust Photo - Click For Larger Image

Holocaust

You may have to dust off some old Holocaust LPs to revive your audio memory of the band's early years. Holocaust revives and still plays classic (NWoBHM) melodic heavy metal, but now with some twists of progressive metal. The arrangements can be twisted with notable tempo and time signature changes. Yet, with Mortimer's compositions at the core, you'll find his guitar work at the forefront of most every song here. His riffs over a steady heavy wall of the rhythm section can give any song an epic and dense feeling. Curiously, his solos are slight, sometimes muted, but then also rising. Sometimes it's a mixture of all three as within Solaris, Astaroth, and Children of the Great Central Sun. Alternatively, with Benedictus, Mortimer's guitar lines are sharp and rising throughout. With Natural State his electric guitar gives a mellow texture to the song, then offers a slight solo in the latter third of the song. Lyrically, Elder Gods is an exploration into ancient paganism and the (false) gods of the Earth. Put all these things together and you have mystery and mysticism wrapped in old school NWoBHM woven with the classic progressive metal. Ergo, Holocaust's Elder Gods makes for an interesting listen. Recommended.



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The Bottom Line

With Elder Gods, you have mystery and mysticism wrapped in old school NWoBHM woven with the classic progressive metal. Ergo, Holocaust's Elder Gods makes for an interesting listen. Recommended.

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