Down the Front Media EP REVIEW: Eldur
Auckland alternative rock four-piece CORIDIAN will drop the third EP in their impressive Elements series on 22nd May. Following ‘Oceanic’ and ‘Caldera’, ‘Eldur’ is Nordic for fire; ‘Hava’ will complete the four EP set at a date yet to be confirmed. The seven songs that make up ‘Eldur’ explore human nature at its rawest with themes of death and loss, mental health, healing, growth, discovery and of being at one with yourself. The first single to be released from ‘Eldur’ was first track ‘Rite of Passage’, which is a stirring song and the pounding drum and bass combo, impactful guitars and soaring vocals make it unmistakably CORIDIAN, serving as the perfect introduction for those that have not heard the band before. We reviewed the track here
‘The Witness’ was the second single to be lifted from this EP and is about living your life to the full in the here and now, and about making decisions that are kind and making sure you enjoy your life in the present rather than worrying about what happens after you die. It’s an uplifting tune that made it to #18 on the Official New Zealand Hot Singles Chart. The video for this single was filmed vertically for optimum viewing on mobile phone screens.
‘Good for Nothing’ is the third and final single to be taken from ‘Eldur’ and is about the effect that social media has on our mental health and our relationships with other people and ourselves. It builds from a delicate jingling guitar and tender breathy vocal before climbing to hypnotic heights as Kris and Nick Raven on drums and bass respectively pound out a hypnotic beat beneath the killer riffs of brother Mike. Heartfelt soaring vocals from powerhouse Dity Maharaj weave in and out complete the compelling picture, for which there is a lyric video.
Fans of CORIDIAN’s second release, ‘Caldera’ will have their interest piqued with the title of ‘Seed (Part II)’. This track fits well both within ‘Eldur’ and also played immediately after ‘Seed’ (from ‘Caldera’). It has a soundscapey feel, with the energetic ‘live’ quality that you get from this band.
‘Define’ is an instrumental that gives the Raven brothers a chance to show off their musical prowess in another light. Whilst hearing songs without vocals might not be everyone’s cup of tea, I’ve become somewhat of a fan in recent times, and love that this is included here. It’s a bit of light relief and I’m almost disappointed it’s not longer.
Starting slowly and with beautifully emotive vocals, ‘Lost Heroes’ takes me completely by surprise when it doesn’t ramp up the volume throughout the track. Ethereal and haunting, this captivating song shows a different side and is something I was not expecting at all. I absolutely adore it.
Closing out the EP is ‘Mantra’ and at just over seven minutes long is an epic, swaggering, powerful finale that showcases perfectly the individual talents of each member of the band. Melodic and dynamic, it sways through light and shade, letting each instrument come to the fore and wind around each other.
The crisp, clear production on ‘Eldur’ is slick and the quality of the songwriting is impressive. Each member of this band has an equal part to play and is given their moment to shine. This is a band to listen to whilst jumping around your house, but also to have blaring through your headphones as you lay on your sofa/bed/lawn and let the music completely engulf you. New Zealanders have had exclusive live performances from Coridian thus far, but perhaps after the world comes out of lockdown, some of the rest of the world will get to see CORIDIAN take to the stage too.
A REVIEW BY Claire Hill
FULL REVIEW
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