REVIEW section : SEARCHING LOW & HIGH
	Roadburn by Walter
		A sonic supernova. Recorded at Mathias Sneeberger's Donner & Blitzen studio, Eternal Elysium's "Searching Low & High" is a palpable shift from the band's origins as super-heavy doom lords. Instead, these monolithic Japanese stoners traverse the fecund era of the heavy 70's with a free spirit, low-end heaviness [healthy nods to Black Sabbath and Cactus] and a very organic yet gargantuan sound. Eternal Elysium's deleriously psychedelic approach -based upon elephantine riffs, a tight groove and stellar guitarleads- exists on their previous albums, but has been honed to utter perfection with the release of this fine full-length. EE excel at kicking out a righteous 60's acid-pop and succesfully morph it into blistering 70's hardrock, then groove unashamedly into lengthy guitar hero pyrotechnics without losing the thread of continuity. Their mind-blowing, post-doom psych is exemplified on the album by the 16-minute opus "Green Song", a hefty moment of Eternal Elysium's relentless sonic attack. Another excellent release by one of Japan's finest heavy riffrock bands.
	StonerRock.com by Arzgarth
		Japan's Eternal Elysium returns after a three year absence with Searching Low & High, their fourth album. Their last two albums, 2000’s Spiritualized D and 2002’s Share, are heralded as benchmarks in the realm of heavy psych rock. Does the new one compare favorably? Sure, why not. Although the sound’s a bit more streamlined and straightforward, it’s not like Eternal Elysium has dumbed down. There are still plenty of moments where guitarist Yukito Okazaki creates a sonic tapestry of beautiful noise, especially on the last track, “Green Song.” That’s their epic indulgence into trippy riffs and mind melting playing. New bassist Tana Haugo acquits herself nicely, meshing perfectly with drummer Antonio Ishikawa (the second newest member) and adding a thick groove, especially on “No Isolation.” Actually, groove’s the most important aspect of Searching Low & High. Whether it’s a moody acoustic number like “Hazy Sublime” or a guitar driven rocker like “Before the Morning Comes,” Eternal Elysium make sure the music keeps you moving. In the end, they make music that hits the head and the heart.
	Aquarius Records
		Fresh from the "Wizard's Convention" show/dvd release wherein they appeared alongside Boris, Green Machine and Church Of Misery, now Japanese stoner metal throwbacks Eternal Elysium have a new album out (import only) on the label that did that DVD, also home to those other bands. Eternal Elysium certainly fits right into such company, maybe coming closest to Boris and CoM at their most seventies n' psychedelic. Song titles like "Reefer Happiness" and "Twilight High" should give you some idea of their focus, stoner stuff somewhere between Sabbath and Soundgarden. They're fairly eclectic though, so you never know totally what to expect...acoustic interludes, spacey jams, riffy rockers, and more, from the tripped-out to the totally heavy. The album ends with the sprawling sixteen-minute-plus monster "Green Song", which some of you have already heard since it was used on that Jamnation disc we listed not long ago!
	Monolith by SonicBoom
		Eternal Elysium. A legendary outfit from the Japanese Doom/Stoner-Metal world. The band formed back in 1991 and since then lots of changes have happened in the band’s form. Eternal Elysium must be the only band I know that has a totally different line up in all its releases, except of course the founder and heart of the band Yukito Okazaki. Eternal Elysium’s first full length “Faithful” came out in 1996 and I think it’s almost impossible to find. The next two albums “Spiritualized D” and “Share” that followed were released in Meteorcity Records and obviously are easier to find. “Searching High & Low” is the band’s fourth full length and please allow me to be highly excited with it. The album contains 8 tracks and some of them will certainly amaze you. “Reefer Happiness” is the opener and beware! It might have passed quite a while since the last time you heard such riffage. We’re talking about one of the coolest riffs I have heard this year! The rhythm section is as thick as a fucking wall of bricks. “Not So Far” that follows starts as a true Doom anthem, ultra slow, almost catatonic, enriched with sorrowful pain spited out of Yukito’s mouth. All these until the middle of the track, where the unexpected happens. The track transforms on a thunderous groove. “Twilight High” continues in the same hypnotic line of “Not So Far” with riffs and vocals based in traditional Doom, low-geared guitars, and a finish with a rolling wah-wah freak out riff that kicks ass. “No Isolation” is the second track of the album with infectious dinosauric riffs, those fat guitar sounds will remind to lots of you the heavy tones of the Maryland scene. “Before The Morning Comes” has something that is unique, at the start the track has a happy feeling diffused all around that almost makes the listener wanna dance! (Who said that you have to be depressed to play in a doom band?). “Green Song” is the last song of the album and the longest. Almost 17 minutes and I have to say it takes some patience to get into it, but when you do, you’ll find yourselves in the middle of a fluid track that flows perfectly. It took the band 3 years to release “Searching Low & High”, but with this one they are forcing us to thank the gods of heavy rock for their existence. Rate: 11/13
	Hellride Music by Kevin McHugh
		Searching Low & High was what The Seeker was doing back in the 60s in The Who's song of psychedelic questing. He was not afraid to ask anyone from Tim Leary to The Beatles just What Was Going On, even if no answer would be forthcoming until the day he died. A constant quest is a good way to summarize the 10+-year career of Japan's Eternal Elysium; they're unafraid to invoke any musical (or chemical, one presumes) inspiration on their grand search for the Lost Chord. 'Searching Low & High' has founder, vocalist and guitarist Yukito Okazaki in finer form than we've heard for years, better IMO than 2001's 'Share' and in the same league as that classic slab of psychedelic mindfunk, 'Spiritualized D.' Heaviness and variety are the watchwords here, all with the recognizable EE crunching blues/psych/prog/doom sound oozing from every note. This go 'round American Tana Hugo is on bass and vocals, and a fine and unexpectedly simpatico addition she is. Drummer Antonio Ishikawa is more than a match for the musical tripping as the lazer hits the pits. 'Not So Far' is spacey doom with epic vocals and a tasty fast guitar break;, 'Twilight High' is psychedelic doom like you like it; the poetically titled 'Approaching Stranger on the Electric Trail of Dreams' has majestic spaciness galore, and 'No Isolation' is a Monster Magnet-style punisher. Believe me its all good, although the psilocybin pop of 'Before the Morning Comes' sounds just a bit too accessible to these ears. It all turns into a dayglow meltdown on the glorious 16+ minute 'Green Song,' an anthem to all Eternal Elysium stands for, with a feast of heavy riffage morphing into thunderous doom chords and atmospheric freakouts. Don't take the brown acid! This album was produced at Donner & Blitzen studio, utilized by such talents as Fatso Jetson, Brant Bjork, and earthlings? Perhaps that explains the ventures into the poppier side of things. In any event, Eternal Elysium has produced a wonderful chunk of craftsmanship, loaded with groove and the highest level of musical ability. It's Tommy Bolin with a pentagram tattoo, Grand Funk on intelligence enhancers, it's Cream, Acid King, Atomic Bitchwax, Soundgarden, and MM mixed in a witch's cauldron and served up heavy on the brain-melting alkaloids. The quest is over - for now - and the heavy joy is yours for the taking. These sound paintings will expand your mind!
	Sleazegrinder
		It’s been about three years since EE released a full-length record, and the last one I heard sounded like a psychedelic death bomb exploding in the park down the street. It was gnarly, weird, desperately heavy stoner-doom stuff, of interest mostly to dopefreaks too high to care if demons were crawling into their ears. Somewhere between here and there, however, these Japanese Lotus eaters have honed their jagged attack into a solid groove of Sabbath-y reefer roll that rides on 70’s hard rock boogie, mangled glam hooks, and flowing green waves of bubbling cosmic goo. It’s still heavy-ass head-trip stuff, no doubt, but now it ain’t all fuckin’ evil. More planetarium laser show than late-night mortar raid sneak attack, dig? Hell, there’s even a bouncy, acoustic instrumental on here called “Hazy Sublime” that’s a deadringer for Tyrannosaurus Rex! So there ya go, man. Everybody’s doing the Bolan boogie these days, even narco-doom tyrants from Japan. Pick this bitch up and slowly melt into the couch for an afternoon.
	GL-Productions by Gabriel Lilliehook
		Searching Low And High With production guidance from Mattias Schneeberger (also keyboards) whose past includes St Vitus and The Obsessed for example have Eternal Elysium unleashed their new disc Searching Low And High. New label also Leafhound just like their mates Church Of Misery and a new recruit in the backingsection, bassplayer Tana Hugo. It is still the mainman Mr Yukito Okazaki who is leading the ship, basher Antonio Ishikawa have been in there for some time. Okazaki have carried this combo since 1991 and have survived all kinds of turmoil with constantly changing backingsections, hope this time he manage to remain his troop for some time at least. Eternal Elysium whose previous albums Spiritualized D and Share came out on Meteor City, a minialbum on Eclipse that came out 1996 + a couple of compilation stuff have set this combo to become the major doom export from Japan after Church Of Misery. Share was in my mind a good record but pretty commercial and melodic to be a Eternal Elysium album, pretty straight sounding too sort to speak. This time they have returned to the fold to create a pretty varied album, a combination of Spiritualized and Share in my point of view with new arrangements, it is still as devastating heavy and there is still a melodic concept but there is also new experiments like grinding heavy metal in Not So Far, some acoustic emotional tripping parts and the progression of the 16+ minute Green Song where Okazakis guitarwork really shines. My personal fave are the opener Reefer Happiness, a straight shooter with a combination of heavyprogressive hooks and psyched out over-the-top harmonies, what is dragging behind are Before the mourning comes that is sounding way too polished and conventional to be a Eternal Elysium tune. Overall are this a powerhouse album that you should have.
	Live 4 Metal by Aussie James
		Most of you L4M stoners out there will know that Japan has a great track record of producing some of the finest calibre bands of its genre in the last ten years or so. Having lived in Tokyo for a couple of years myself, I can honestly say that the Japanese people are very passionate about whatever they are into. Therefore every Japanese Metalhead I met left a mark on me. Nuff said, Japan and their people rule!!! So lets jump straight into the bucket bong and go through this latest offering from Eternal Elysium after a couple of years recording absence. This veteran Nihonjing three piece, led by sole originator Yukito Okazaki have come up with something a bit different this time. Searching High And Low seems like quite an apt name for this album too. First track Reefer Happiness rocks into a familiar stoner groove, a great opener in its own right. With a choice solo at the end and a few “YEAH YEAH’S” it follows the traditional path of stoner rock album. Not So Far has a big fat heavy groove and some Dorianesque vocal lines. We are also treated to a riff that speeds up the tempo half way through to rock us out baby!!!. I can imagine this one going down better than a 5 quid hooker live. Things take a bit of a turn from here, and why not. The next two songs seem to hearken back to the early 70’s. Hazy Sublime sounds like the intro to the epic 13-minute track Paradise off the Uriah Heep album, Demons And Wizards. Also the Foxy Lady riff is used to effect on Twilight High. However the song aint just a Jimi rip off, it has a Soundgarden feel and is one of the albums stronger tracks. Still can’t work out where I have heard the ending solo before but who cares, we are all influenced by other stuff, and this song rocks. Approaching Stranger On Electric Trail Of Dreams has a title nearly as long as the actual song but does manage to take you away from the couch into a different world for just a sec before No Isolation comes on board like a mashed up mix of The Awesome Machine, End of Level Boss and Soundgarden. Whether or not that tastes good with the rest of your veggies is up to you. Track number seven “Before The Morning Comes” has a feel good vibe and gives me a kimochi. A bit of tambourine never hurt anyone and along with the Jon Lord sounding keyboards, it goes well with my pint. Awesome tune!!! So now to the last track Green Song, a titanic stoner closer that you can work out for yourselves. I sure a hell can’t so I will leave it up to you!!!  All in all, a very good rock and roll album.
	KOZMIK ARTIFACTZ
		"Searching Low & High" is the forth album from the stoner groove/heavy doom rock flagship from Japan. The Japanese import CD comes with 8 new songs in 52 minutes and contains a lot of variety. From the first song "After Happiness", an excellent straight-forward groover with memorable riffing, to the breathtaking almost 17-minute monument "Green Song". The spacy vocals, reminding of bands like GAS GIANT, adds an irresistible 70s flair to their sound.
	EUTK.net by Fabrizio 'Stonerman' Bertogliatti
		Il trio freak-stoner giapponese ancora una volta non si smentisce e non delude. Dopo essersi costruito il proprio seguito di nicchia grazie a due buoni albums quali "Spiritualized D" e "Share", con il nuovo lavoro cerca di allargare la propria sfera d'influenza nel variegato settore stoner. Per prima cosa gli Eternal Elysium si sono recati a registrare negli States, in quello studio Donner & Blitzen che ha già visto la presenza di gente come Fatso Jetson, Goatsnake, Bjork, Oliveri, e molti altri della cerchia americana. Hanno metabolizzato l'ingresso della nuova bassista Tana, ma soprattutto hanno parzialmente corretto il tiro, sfumando parecchio la componente doom del proprio sound e puntando con decisione sull'heavy rock ultra-psych in pieno revival anni '70. Jam-songs torrenziali, escapismi pirotecnici, groove torrido, energia granulosa, grande pathos lisergico, perfino qualche reminiscenza di acid-pop sessantiano, vedi la sballatissima "Before the morning comes" in bilico tra sciabolate chitarristiche hard rock e strambi cori "power-flower". Come sempre in questo tipo di proposta la parte del leone tocca all'axeman Okazaki, uno spirito libero che vive la musica come una fluida dilatazione senza confini ma anche in possesso di un tocco vibrante e fantasioso, che non annoia neppure durante le estensioni più eccessive. L'album è ricco di spunti interessanti, dalle progressioni ed i solismi heavy di "Reefer happiness", cantata in duetto da Yukito e Tana, all'atmosfera gravida di tensione sulfurea in "Not so far"; dall'ottimo connubio di cadenze massiccie e melodia ariosa in "Twilight high" al tiro sporco e selvaggio di "No isolation", piccola gemma di aggressività proto-metal. Ma il vero capolavoro è riservato per il finale con la monumentale "Green song", sedici minuti di delirio mega-psych di primissima qualità che sanciscono l'episodio finora più ambizioso ed importante del trio nipponico. Con questa gigantesca suite si chiude un lavoro che segna un'ulteriore progresso degli Eternal Elysium, gruppo che ha completato la sua maturazione e definito con precisione la propria identità. Disco di settore, ma ottimo livello qualitativo. Consigliato a chi apprezza cose del tipo M-Squad, Gas Giant, Josiah, Murder 1, ecc. Voto: 7,5/10