Dead Elephant - Thanatology

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4...according to our Mike on Thu 15 Sep, 2011.

Dead Elephant's new album Thanatology has nothing to do with the Thanet comp that came out on Mordant Music a few weeks ago. It is in fact a dirgey post rock record and the third album from Italian trio Dead Elephant. The main elements we're looking at here are early '00s post-rock and traditional doom metal. The riffs are monolithic and sloooooooow, the vocals indecipherable and growly, the atmospheres stifling and fetid. Yeah, they're doing it correctly. There are elements of the Melvins here but with more unabashed darkness flooding through it as opposed to the 'Vins' playful edge. Maybe think Sunn O))))) playing Explosions in the Sky riffs? The dominant instruments here are guitar, bass and drums, but there are elements of power electronics and even a Hammond organ at one point! There are little intermission bits with classical-sounding music which is apparently sampled Italian funeral marches! This sounds like the music from the sad bits of Disney films and provides an interesting counterpoint to the big fat riffs on the rest of the record. If you like 'em heavy and doomy this'll get your head banging.

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Introducing Dead Elephant who are: Enrico Tauraso (electric guitar, voice, power electronics, samples), Fulvio Grosso (electric bass, voice) and Omar Tomaino (drums).

Hailing from Cuneo in Italy, Dead Elephant formed in 2002 and previously released SING THE SEPARATION (2005) followed by the critically acclaimed LOWEST SHARED DESCENT (2008). This year, they finally close the four year gap with a brand new and beastly album Thanatology, due for release in July.

Thanatology aims to investigate the process of acceptance of loss, a concept particularly timely in these transitional times in which we live. In order to understand precisely where the band are coming from with this concept, here is a deeper explanation:

“In this order of things life can sometimes be cruel. Sometimes we feel caught in a strange trap. The events appear to us as a dark spiral and our destiny is lost in it. Within this dark spiral, it is very difficult understand what is right and what is wrong. There, something must burn and you must accept to lose it. From the consciousness that some things must die in order to for change to be born.”

Dead Elephant's powerful sonic assault has a wide range of influences from the heaviness of bands like Cherubs, Jesus Lizard, Colossamite, Melvins, Black Sabbath, Celtic Frost to the psychedelic attitudes of Ash Ra Tempel, Cluster, and Badalamenti soundtracks, all prevalent throughout this latest record.

On Thanatology, Dead Elephant attack the listener with their claustrophobic and visceral sonic forces and fuse these brutally heavy sounds with moments of genuine haunting beauty, which are actual samples of the funeral marches of Southern Italy. The effects of these galvanizing forces are that of ultimate catharsis that not only challenge the listener, but also force one to question preconceptions of heavy music.

Limited edition 500 only CD with 8 page booklet and 200 only vinyl LP with printed inner bag.