Seid
Mines of Moria EP
35 G Records

In January of last year Seid had a Lord Of The Rings show in a local cinema in Trondheim in connection with the showing of The Brotherhood Of The Ring - the first third of the saga, as you all well know. In December they were back when The Two Towers premiered along with this latest EP offering from the band, released that evening. It is a 7" mine-brown vinyl EP of 200 numbered copies (some are still available as the full moon rises). Compared to the band's first vinyl single Silver Messenger it's a big step forward. Both the sleeve and production are colourful compared to the relatively grey Messenger. The title track is filled with mighty mellotrons, organs, sliding and howling guitars and ominous drumbeats of the deep. The instrumental parts are as pompous and symphonic as can be, picking up the threads from King Crimson's debut album of 1969. It even includes distant elfish female vocals. I seem to sense a little twinkle in the eye which prevents the song from going completely over the top. Anyhow, it do represent the splendour of the vast cavernous hall of Moria in an appropriate way. A monster (or dare I say Balrog) track! I only have one objection; it should've been released a year earlier since the journey through the mines is part of the first book/film of the trilogy.

"The Ancient Forest" however, is justly timed. The instrumental waltz shows a folkier side of Seid with a sitar-sounding guitar and all. Merry piano and a bit melancholic (or Pippin, got that one?) sliding guitars almost simultaneously, fitting nicely with the inhabitants of the forest. The last track is called "Ze Evil Gnome". Where's the connection to Lord Of The Rings, I wonder. Maybe it's Gollum in disguise? (And why didn't he get that well deserved Academy Award nomination, by the way?) To me Ze Gnome sounds closer to a title track of a cheap American detective tv-series from the late 60s than anything else. Swirling fuzz organs, guitars, bass and vocals all over the place. Hilarious!

Apart from the filthy colour of the vinyl, the EP is a welcomed supplement to Seid's great debut album. You may order the disc from the Luftwaffel Records webstore.

Copyright © 2003 JP