Artist: Elixir
Label: Majestic Rock Records
Released: 2006
Rating: 3.5/5
english version:
Elixir, the legendary metal act, from times when New Wave of British of Heavy Metal was young, alive and kicking, is back again! Some truly legendary names from that era are back in the saddle as well. Cloven Hoof, Diamond Head, Tygers of Pan Tang, Steel Assassin and of course Elixir. Nevertheless their debut “The Son of Odin” (1985) represents a true masterpiece and holy bible for every NWOBHM fan. The band somehow wasn’t destined to break through in order to achieve massive success or at least better recognition. During the nineties they didn’t show any signs of life, but with “Idol” (2002) they returned, and the new “Mindcreeper” album, released four years after “Idol”, confirms that this wasn’t just a one off reunion.
“Mindcreeper”, only the fourth album released by Elixir so far, carefully follows the directions of the previous “Idol”. What we get is straight, simple and undressed, right in your face riffing. The production is rough and alive. No double bass foot pedal at all, heavily exposed cymbals in the production fill the background by creating a firm sound layer behind powerful riffing. Riffing evokes (immediately in the opening Don’t Trust the Preacher) some Dio/Martin era Black Sabbath melody similarities. Paul Taylor’s voice, still possesses charm and a recognisable vocal approach. The way he tackles vocal lines in higher registers sometimes reminds of Biff Byford (Saxon). He puts obscurity, evilness, some trauma and paranoia into the atmosphere. Exactly what heavy metal a la Elixir needs. The song Mindcreeper exposes these themes even more. Funnily enough, but the next song Hot Metal basically follows the same main riffing form as the album’s title song. Luckily, some nice amounts of vah-vah soloing are placed over it, so this song thankfully creates a different mood.
“Mindcreeper” proves that Elixir are a strong and content unit. The album is very catchy in parts where songs deliver changes in moods, especially in parts where songs are approaching their middle instrumental sections. The fourth song Rescue My Soul changes the dynamics of the album. It contains a very melodic yet obscure beginning in the vein of a ballad. Suddenly Taylor’s scream cuts the atmosphere, riffs jump in and we are already in the middle of metal fire and hell. This approach calls to life some of Iommi’s riffing figures again. The guys didn’t forget about the addition of some nice twin guitar harmonies layered over riffing basics (Over And Over Again). You’ll also be glad to hear some hard rockin’ stuff like we get in Knocking on the Gates Of Hell, a middle tempo song with a nice balance between melody and a pure evil mood. Some hard rockin’ hints are also heard in the speedier Iron Hawk. With Guiding Star the ambient changes once again by delivering a great classic metal acoustically driven ballad with Taylor’s emotive vocals at the forefront. The closing song Where Angels Fear To Tread brings back some real wickedness. This is a great track with a huge ambient, nice changes of the motives and dynamics, taking great care to deliver big melodies. This song’s atmosphere slowly builds up and explodes in its last part, when a big classic riff proves Elixir still has the power to convince all metalheads, even in the new millennium. Personally speaking this is the highlight on this record.
This record is just what Elixir are. What you hear is what you get. No lefts, no rights, but pure straight riffs that deliver basic and “classy” stuff, which could have been created a long time ago (25 – 30 years). An album lost in time. Worth exploring for all fans of New Wave of British Heavy Metal, classic hard rock, and bands like Dio/Martin era Black Sabbath, Saxon or Riot. It proves Elixir are back in business. Let us hope for more.
author: Aleš Podbrežnik
Slovenian version:
“Mindcreeper”, only the band’s fourth studio album in a row, carefully follows the direction of its predecessor “Idol”. Once again we get simple, stripped-down, in-your-face riffs. The production is raw and alive. The drums, old-school style, steer clear of double bass pedals, while the heavy leaning on the cymbals in the production builds a solid sonic backdrop over which thick guitar riffs roar. Right from the opener Don’t Trust the Preacher, there are some sonic parallels with Dio/Martin era Black Sabbath. After all these years, Paul Taylor’s voice still has charisma, charm and instant recognizability. The way he leads his melodic lines sometimes recalls fellow Brit Biff Byford. His vocals bring feelings of trauma, paranoia and evil into Elixir’s music and help create the album’s generally dark mood. The title track confirms these feelings even more clearly. Interestingly, the song that follows it, Hot Metal, sticks to an almost identical basic riff template, but the wah-wah soloing laid over it blurs that heavily (successfully tricking the listener) and so brings a different mood to the album. Sneaky!
“Mindcreeper” proves that Elixir are a solid and reliable unit. It’s especially sweet listening to the moments on the album where the band shifts the mood and dynamics, particularly in the middle instrumental sections, which are smoothly woven into the basic riff structure. The fourth track takes the album’s dynamics up to a new level. That’s Rescue My Soul, which is full of melody, yet has an obscure feel and is built like a proper ballad in the intro. Taylor’s scream suddenly flips the mood, a solid riff jumps in and we’re already in the middle of fresh metal fire and hell. The song revives the standard approaches of riff guru Iommi. The guys didn’t forget to add some lovely twin guitar harmonies (Over And Over Again), and we also run into strong doses of classic hard rock, caught in Knocking on the Gates Of Hell as well as in the speedier Iron Hawk, whose melodic lines even pull toward the Americans Riot. Guiding Star is the album’s only ballad. It brings an exceptionally atmospheric, acoustic-driven adventure, with Taylor’s mid-range vocals burning with real feeling. It’s a dark ballad with huge atmosphere and a thoroughly classic sound, as if it had been written at the turn of the seventies into the eighties. Closing track Where Angels Fear To Tread proves that Elixir can still serve today’s younger generation of metal fans a song with a big stash of venom and malice. Of everything on the album, it’s by far the best put together in terms of its varied string of motifs, which flow into each other smoothly and dynamically. It’s the album’s strongest moment, right at the finish.
This album is exactly what Elixir are. What you hear is what you get. No left hooks, no right hooks, just blasts fired dead straight, with which the band delivers an album of direct, bare, classically shaped riffs that were in fashion 25 to 30 years ago, when heavy metal was still young. Without doubt an album lost in time. A very nice, rustic record that’s worth digging into for fans of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal, classic hard rock and bands like Dio/Martin era Black Sabbath, Saxon or Riot. “Mindcreeper” proves that Elixir are firmly back in the saddle of the metal business. Let’s hope for more albums like this from the band in the future. After all, Elixir still owe us big time on that front.
author: Aleš Podbrežnik
Lineup
Paul Taylor – vocals
Phil Denton – guitar
Stormin’ Norman Gordon – guitar
Kevin Dobbs – bass
Nigel Dobbs – drums
Production
Elixir & Phil Doyle
Tracklist
1. Don’t Trust The Preacher
2. Mindcreeper
3. Hot Metal
4. Rescue My Soul
5. Over And Over Again
6. Knocking On The Gates Of Hell
7. Iron Hawk
8. Athenian Glory
9. Guiding Star
10. Where Angels Fear To Tread
Album length: 52.57
