LIVE AT ROADBURN

This is a live recording from the Roadburn Festival which took place in November 2008. EARTHLESS originally supposed to play a small 200-person side room but finally got the chance to enter the main stage in front of 2,000 excited spectators. The reason: headliner ISIS decided to offer only an hour of their two-hour slot and understandably enough the organizer was reaching for a replacement band. This evening EARTHLESS played like a high caliber trio sometimes reminiscent to CREAM's improv songs 'Toad' or 'Spoonful' from the album 'Wheels Of Fire'. However in it's entirety more heavy psych drenched and spiked with spacey ingredients too.

So we have one long jam here in fact - divided in four song titles. Isaiah Mitchell is a great guitar player - no doubt. He stretches his instrument to the limit. And it won't take long to notice that it's a really heavy going for the rhythm boys Mike Eginton (nimble-fingered bass) and Mario Rubalcaba (driving drums). Especially to hear during the second part of disc 1 - it must be From The Ages - an almost 20 minutes lasting uptempo parforce run quasi, provided with a repetitive behaviour and echoing guitar en masse. Obviously the band is on the peak here offering a pleasant contrast with this highlight.

Second LP/CD basically continues this highspeed improv performance interrupted by some descrescendos. So finally we have nearly 90 minutes where the band does not intensively seek for a distinctive progressive outfit - but it's enjoyable anyhow. The album came out as an unplanned surprise. Told about the recordings accidently they had a few listens and decided that it was a honest document which reflects the band's spirit as no other. Soon the decision was made to produce a double LP and CD released by Tee Pee Records.

'Live at Roadburn' delivers a virtuoso and furioso performance by all means - although it's still better to enjoy such music live at the venue as for my opinion. One or two may miss enough variety over the course of time. However - a must have for those who love extended rock music jams. In that case you can grab this one beyond doubt.