By this point into Terminus Winter Break, you've no doubt exhausted our considerable back catalog, and have been reduced to listening to actual music instead of our reviews. But fear not! Every time we go on break, we release one of our elite, patrons-only bonus episodes to all you rank and file terminators. So here's the first single-record episode we've ever done. We think it's some of our best work, and we hope you enjoy it. Most truly great albums leave a legacy, begetting new genres, subgenres, styles, or scenes, and so becoming points of origin for new traditions. But once in a very long while, there is a complete one-off. Lykathea Aflame’s only release to date, Elvenefris, is one of those albums: How do you build on a masterpiece of lush, ecstatic, melodic…. goregrind? Maybe you don't. Where the hell did this record come from? And why is it so damn good? The answers may surprise you. 00:00 - Intro 8:40 - TBMG reacts / major key metal 19:10 - Vs. the "happy death metal" cliche / religion, goodness, virtue 37:50 - "Bringer of Elvenefris Flame" - influences and lack thereof 54:51 - "Land Where Sympathy is Air" - the Elvenefris theme 1:03:20 - “On The Way Home" - insane song structure* / non-metal influences 1:32:45 - “Flowering Entities" - don't worry, this is still death metal / finding "the way home" 1:43:50 - “A Step Closer" - lurking black metal influence / newness from tradition 01:53:20 - “Walking in The Garden of Ma’at” - happiness, vulnerability, permanence 2:12:37 - Outro - Lightning Bolt - “2 Morro Morro Land,” fr. Hypermagic Mountain (2005) *Chart for "On The Way Home": Main riff: A B C B C’ D C’ E’ E F GB’ B Drone: A A A A A A Note: X' = "X prime," marks a variation on that riff. Terminus links: Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/terminusextrememetalpodcast Podbean: https://thetrueterminus.podbean.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/terminusextrememetal/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/terminuspodcast Contact: [email protected]