ELIZABETH THE LAST

Gargantuan Explorations in Somber Moods

ELIZABETH the last is a German trio consisting of André Krispin - Guitar, Benjamin Oppermann - Bass, and Arnd Finke - Drums, Percussion, Piano, Synthesizer.

They've apparently been a going concern at least since 2012, when they released their debut album, then months later, an improvisational EP. ELIZABETH the last went silent then until 2018, possibly changing their bassist to the current dude Benjamin (but it's not clear who he replaced), when they released their eponymous longplay album.

Many Mysteries

I'm not sure why some bands prefer to stay hidden in the shadows, putting the reviewer in the position of hounding them for answers- or just choosing to go with what we can ferret out- which in itself is an expenditure of time that seems unnecessary.

There IS some information about this band, and some I'll just have to guess.

Tracks

The titles are suggestive of...something. Is there a theme? Not sure- this album is all instrumental, and not having heard previous albums, I can't say what the vocals did or didn't add.

Here we have five titles, most in English and one in German. Images provided in music videos and group photos seem to suggest heavy labor and agrarian life.

The Sound

Massive. Dark. Sometimes ponderous and eerie. Sometimes heavy and doom-y. Sometimes galloping then subsiding and chiming. Discordant guitar chords sometimes in the upper registers. Punchy, deep bass. Outstanding, sensitive and authoritative drumming.

The 'post-rock' world seems to prefer lots of repetition with some minor variations and minimal musical progression, and ELIZABETH the last appears to draw from this subgenre as well as the sludgy, doom-y metal well of sound too.

The band shows skill, they appear to play well together, and there is some variation in feel and texture. For me, it became tiresome, but those who love these styles may well appreciate it.

To Sum Up

There are parts I like a lot- sometimes the crushing, monster-gallop captivated me. Other parts I could do without, and I'm getting more sure than ever that those seemingly endless repetitions don't do much for me, however much they seem to speak to others.

My rating: Three crushing craters- "good, but non-essential".