The Elysian Fields – Suffering G.O.D. Almighty
Black Lotus Records – BLRCD082 – March 7th, 2005
By Jason Jordan
This is good. The industrial, melodic death trio,
The Elysian Fields, have returned with their fourth full-length,
Suffering G.O.D. Almighty, which is the threesome’s first studio offering in four years. Enough numerals in the previous sentence for ya? I thought so. To get back on track, this is good.
If I were to be outright, I’d confess that I’ve been having problems weighing in on the latest by
The Elysian Fields. The aforementioned don’t inspire me to compose paragraph after paragraph extolling the virtues of the band.
Suffering G.O.D. Almighty hasn’t wrapped itself around my neck like a perturbed, boa constrictor. Hence, it’s been tough even attempting to formulate a review in my head, much less one on paper that’s prime for ingestion. So, putting it bluntly, there are three key elements – possessed by this record – which you should know about
: 1. as per their musical description, there’s pounds of industrial within, 2. the death metal side of
The Elysian Fields is proficient and subsequently engrossing, and 3. the overall soundscape can be compared to that of
Dark Tranquillity with effects akin to
The Kovenant, for shorthand reference. Some of the programming also lent itself to
Ulver comparisons, though those exemplifications are few and far between. And it’s almost as if the band’s melodic death roots share center stage with the industrial/electronica samplings.
I’m still clueless about why this review was so arduous to pen, but I’m ever so confident about the quality of
Suffering G.O.D. Almighty. This is a welcome return to form for
The Elysian Fields, and I am resolute when I say that I have no qualms recommending ‘er. To employ circularity as much as possible, though, this is good.
8/10
Official Black Lotus Records Website
Why'd you bump this review anyway? 
