adg211288 The Psychotropic Witch is the debut EP from drone/stoner act Elmi, featuring just one track which lasts for just over 28 minutes. It was released in 2011.

Like much of the drone metal genre Elmi’s music is perhaps better described as a brand of ambient music. I personally like to consider this style ‘heavy ambient’. Elmi crafts this long piece of music into something really atmospheric with a nice variety of songs on offer. The track is called The Tale of the Proselyte, The Psychotropic Witch and the Dreaming Dead. It starts with a real doom feeling, giving me a sense of foreboding, which is great for the dark atmosphere. Although much of it is instrumental, there are vocals in the song. We hear some vocals that suit the stoner influence first but later into the track there are some pretty deep death growls as well. At around ten minutes in there’s some nice bass work which is soon accompanied by the first bit of vocal, a shout of ‘Come on!’. That was one of the few bits of the track I didn’t like though, that shout. I honestly don’t think it did anything for the otherwise pretty good atmosphere of the music. The first lot of lyrics however which use the same sort of vocal work well within the context of the track. The lyrics are quite entertaining as well. At about 22 minutes in there’s a complete shift in feel with some almost happy sounding synth work. After a bit into this is when the growls come in. The piece ends with a long drone which gradually fades into some noise. And then the trip is over.

Like much of what I’ve heard some the drone and indeed the ambient genres, there is much of the track that seems given over to long drawn out ideas and I guess it’s that very aspect of the music that makes it a very acquired taste, but anyone into this sort of style is recommended to check out Elmi. Drone isn’t entirely my thing but I did enjoy The Psychotropic Witch a fair bit. Nice work guys.

(Originally written for Heavy Metal Haven)