If I have to be honest, when I first saw the cover art of this self titled album by Elder Caius, my mind was immediately drawn towards the territories of stoner metal and desert rock, where the riffs are slow and hypnotic, the sounds are thick and greasy, and the atmosphere are ideal to let yourself zone out to the wildest psychedelic visions.
Don't get me wrong, some core elements of the genre are present in this release, but they are not necessarily the predominant influence. I would say that the main attitude is more prog-oriented, as we can appreciate from the not so straightforward rhythmic patterns, the tempo changes, and the intricate layering of the instruments.
The mixture of heavy strings, the grand piano, and a wide range of synths is very intriguing, and blends perfectly with the synthetic drums and the occasional samples. The tracklist is dynamic, alternating moments of wild headbanging with quieter segments where we can catch a breath and get hypnotised by the hallucinogenic melodies.
The songs are entirely instrumental, but they manage to effectively outline in our heads fantastic scenarios populated by wizards and spaceships. I get the vibes of the old "choose your adventure" books that I spent hundreds of afternoons on during my childhood: fantasy themes, sudden mood changes, and an unmistakeable thrill at every new chapter (or song in this case).
It's very hard to choose a favourite track, but in general I liked those monents where the music exploded in all its grandious epicness, such as in "Splatter Phoenix" (from which I also loved the very Uriah Heep/Deep Purple style organ riffs) and in "Tomb of the Unknown King" (yes, the song sounds exactly like a song with this title should sound like).
In conclusion, this album represents a very original and fresh take in a genre like psychedelic rock that can often sound old-fashioned. If you enjoy eclectic music that blurs the borders between genres, this albumis for you.