The juxtaposition of an ancient cult reborn through the salvation of cyclic temporal churn and another peaking troupe challenged to the core by near-death experience makes for fresh dizzying highs and darkest-yet gut checking lows as this split LP from London, England-based psych-doom quartet ELEPHANT TREE and Karlstad, Sweden-based stoner rock/metal quartet LOWRIDER finds deeper personal fluxion of expression and conjoinment on this cathartic, realm shattering experience. ‘The Long Forever‘ is named for the climb out of a comatose state, a slow return to consciousness that’d left one member of the former band changed. Complimentary in so many ways on their respective collaborative songs yet distinct in each side of the album’s individual safari fans of dark, heavy, and dramatic stoner sounds with big fuzz and bigger hooks can be assured this is one of the bigger events in that realm this year.

Prior to 2019 a band like Lowrider was part of Swedish stoner rock mythos, their first album (‘Ode to IO‘, 2000) featured as a true gem of that scene as it reached across shores and bit a few choice folks with its bluesy charms. I’d discovered them via a split with Nebula as far as I recall and had fond memories but I’d not at all been expecting the brilliancy that time and experience had brought to their second LP (‘Refractions‘, 2020) via huge production values and catchy but never too obviate songcraft. They’ve got the desert rock touch, sure, but not so punkish or introverted with a strong ear for melody. We start out with some of their most potent magick here on Side A with “And the Horse You Rode in On” where you’ll feel their own swagger lit up with a Homme-handed guitar hook helping out the verses. I dunno if you’re going to find a stronger point of bliss on this record in terms of stomp-rock pace but what we’re getting here is not unrelated to what they’d brought on ‘Refractions‘ where the shorter, catchier joints were broken up by longer ~8-10 minute pieces which were often bigger, loosened jams that’d still held their structure. This is the case for the Torche-like stride and spread of “Caldera” and the more immediate step into “Into the Grey”, both of which feature longer-jammed runtimes and riffs that straddle the fence on doom and heavy rock in their spread and aren’t afraid of a long, outward flung solo to help sell the moment.

The first collaborative song of two and the mid-album mediator “Through the Rift” brings back a shorter, easier to grip arrangement with a strong melodic element which largely finishes Lowrider‘s thought and brings in, as far as I can tell, some vocal harmonization via Elephant Tree vocalist/guitarist Jack Townley. Tough the Swedish group kind of dominate the split in terms of minutes served it isn’t long before the glowering, heavier than ever psychedelic doom of “Fucked in the Head” spirals into its subterranean creep and buzz. If you are looking for a direct follow-up to the headier, folksy and catchy-yet-adrift spiritus of their popular ‘Habits‘ (2020) release consider these songs much darker with a dramatic and somewhat tortured feeling thread running through. This is fitting enough as this is a raw and uncomplicated return to their stoner/doom metal rooting after Townley emerged from an extended medically induced coma after a biking accident in early 2023 and had to reengage with the world and the band.

The result is again, a darker sound, something atmospheric sludge fans might appreciate for its heavier rhythms and blunt bass guitar tones which to me ear resemble early Electric Wizard to start and then spread their way back to the sprawling psychedelic doom-rock Elephant Tree are known for on “4 For 2” albeit with a more foreboding tone in tow. Both of those first two songs benefit from a wall of sound, buried tones which ripple through the concrete and quake as they hit, no where is this more true than on closer “Long Forever” which might not reach for the skybound blazon of Lowrider‘s tracks but still has its dreary, droning emotional impact at the centre of its bass-heavy spectacle. These folks definitely make a different impression here with a low-set production value that is unbothered, simply stated and less intricately designed than their previous LP but the sound of the band is still there. It’ll likely be a bit plain and muddy at a glance but crank it up louder and it’ll be worth the headache to hear more of the nuance included.

Of course every split LP ends up leave me with a favored side of the experience though I think the collaborations here are valuable in balancing out that effect. Lowrider are a band I know better and enjoyed a great deal already so, I’d had to catch up a bit more in terms of what Elephant Tree are working up here. The stuff that’ll stick right away, yank your whole skull into ‘The Long Forever‘ is largely given to the exuberant hi-fi plow of the Swedes here and I have to give to them they’re still on a roll beyond 2019/2020. Otherwise the Londoners’ side goes for something more lo-fi, and provides strong contrast to their split-mates. As a fan of the darker, catchier, dramatic side of stoner stuff this record covers a lot of bases without wandering too far off into its cups and the result is one of the better records in this style I’ve come across of late. Essential stuff for folks who appreciate a catchy song as much as a deeper cut. A high recommendation.

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