Hear British Psychedelic/Prog Doom Band Elephant Tree’s Chunky New Album ‘Habits’

While the coronavirus pandemic has halted all tours for now, planned releases by labels and artists are certainly progressing according to the original plan. London-based record label Holy Roar has been living up to its name of providing the world of heavy music with formidable albums over the years and their latest offering is psychedelic/doom metal band Elephant Tree’s third record Habits.

After ticking off appearances at beloved stoner, doom and psychedelic rock festivals such as Psycho Las Vegas, Desert Fest in Belgium and the hallowed Saint Vitus Bar in New York City, Elephant Tree built a steady following ever since they came together in 2013.

Where Elephant Tree triumph is in their atmospheric, chasmic and commanding riffage that recall the likes of Smashing Pumpkins and Melvins. Producer Riley MacIntyre told The Obelisk, “In terms of changes to the sound, we knew we wouldn’t be messing with core elements of the band – we would certainly be keeping the heavy guitars and vocal harmonies – but I think everything else was more or less fair game.”

In a press note released with the album, the band says work on Habits started in 2017 and they entered the studio with MacIntyre in January 2019 and emerged with eight tracks that weren’t just about bringing a slab of heavy and hazy. Songs like “The Fall Chorus” and “Bird” are complementary in that they run from reverb-heavy acoustic treatment (with violin) to prog-leaning choppiness with complete conviction. The warbly, distorted riff that breaks in “Wasted” is reminiscent of Black Sabbath and American stoner rock purveyors Sleep and the band returns to a quieter acoustic, almost folksy start to “Broken Nails,” which marries the light with the dark in a cathartic manner, building up grandiose levels of noise and fuzz like you’d expect from Pink Floyd.

Listen to ‘Habits’ below. Stream the album on Spotify, Apple Music and JioSaavn.