Elkapath – 'Black Spiders': A creepy little diamond album!

After their single, with which they were building up to the release of the record, it was time for the main course. Their debut album, titled 'Black Spiders', will send shivers down your spine.

It's a goth thing!

The band seems to have stepped straight out of a horror fairy tale. Think something between the movies Friday the 13^th and Halloween. They're very reminiscent of Scandinavian myths. Makes sense, since that's the profile they're going for. Starting with the cover, we get a cartoon-like design. And I think it's time you got acquainted with Miss Carla (we'll say more about her later). Say hi, guys!

Beyond the band's heroine, the musical style is Synthetic Gothic Metal. A mix of classic Goth elements, with heavy use of synthesizer, keys, and more electronic sounds (in certain spots). This also shows in the band's influences. Elkapath state that their biggest influences are The Prodigy, The Birthday Massacre, NineInch Nails and Korn.

About the music

Getting to the music of the album, the interest picks up. The Eklapath present a tight-knit ensemble with beautiful musical compositions. Starting from the drums and the bass, we notice they have a very large volume in their sound. The tempo of the music is relatively fast, while the timestamps of the rhythm are generally straight.

The guitar has quite a bit of work to do on the tracks. Beyond the sweet, distorted, rhythmic sounds, it adds a different texture with the varied riffs it introduces into the background. The keys, in turn, also leave their own mark. Based on the style and combined with the sound of the keys, Elkapath seem to be quite close to Lordi (not necessarily in style, since that differs, but in certain characteristics of the sound).

Finally, the vocals are the most distinctly gothic element. The combination of the girly timbre with the heavy sound can be considered the cornerstone of the gothic metal style. On the other hand, Carla's vocal timbre also has elements of Symphonic Metal, which takes us quite close to the sound of Epica and Nightwish (excluding the very high melodic lines).

About the subject matter

The subject matter of Elkapath rests on the fact that their whole concept springs from the element of horror. That feeling gets even stronger when you decide to give horror a name. And that name is: Miss Carla! Oh, yes! It's time to talk about the fantastical doll pulling the strings behind the group.

The Miss Carla is a creepy doll! So, according to the myth the band cooked up, Carla discovered that with her song, she could hypnotize people and make them submissive to her will. Under her hypnosis, they could only do what she commanded. This happened way back in 2004. And since then, her desire to control the world grew even bigger. Somehow, she created a dark music, to spread across the whole earth.

But our plans rarely go the way we've predicted. So, the Carla (Carla Elkapath – Vocals) found her strength diminishing, as the years went by. That's why she wanted to get some helpers for her venture. First in line, Chaotic Chris (Chris Jones – drums). Next came the Trevor The Terrible (Trevor England – bass) and Master Marios (Marios Karaisaridis – guitar). The combination of these musicians with miss Carla's voice spreads terror, creates devastating earthquakes and subjugates the will of all those who listen to their music!

Pretty fascinating story! I dig it! I'm all for special backstories that build up a band's legend. Many great artists have done it in the past and keep doing it. Alice Cooper, at every one of his concerts, would stage his own death. Ozzy Osbourne, the Prince of Darkness, was the ultimate symbol of horror. Slash on the other hand, had a look that made him iconic, above and beyond his playing.

Editor's Choice: Dirty Whore Mouth

A song bursting with intensity and musical power is the offering of Fuzzy Hound from the album ‘Black Spiders’. It's a track with heavy, distorted sound and a rhythm that pins you down. At the same time, the track also features some growly vocals, which aren't common in Elkapath's songs. Listening to it, you'll soon find yourself moving to the beat and singing along to the lyrics! Trust me!

In conclusion

The Elkapath, even though they've only been active since 2019, have 10 years of history behind them, packed with plenty of gigs. The band from Gloucester του Ηνωμένου Βασιλείου seems to have that special something that can make you stand out. They've got a terror story surrounding them, but most importantly, their compositions are truly beautiful. They steer clear of plain gothic metal, offering very distinctive tracks.

The band's skill is impressive. ‘Black Spiders’ contains ten wonderful tracks. The album, released under Symmetric Records, was created in just 14 months. A big role in the quality of the result was played by Bob Katsionis (ex. Firewind, Outloud), who handled the recording of the album. The production is top-notch, while at the same time it has the naturalness of a live show.

The Elkapath put their stamp on an album that stands as a badge of honour for the band's future path. We'll definitely be waiting with great interest for their future work. ‘Black Spiders’ is expected to drop on Halloween night (what more fitting release date could there be!). Until then, beware of the boogie woman, aka Miss Carla!