Elle Tea - The Past From Which I Ran (2024)

4★

Okay, listen – this one isn’t quite metal, but it’s close and it’s great so cut me some slack. Formed as a one-man solo project in Italy by Leonardo Trevisan in 2017, ELLE TEA have been releasing some killer melodic hard rock/heavy metal music. Trevisan put out a little teaser EP earlier this year with a few of the songs from The Past From Which I Ran, and when I heard it, I was smitten in an odd sort of way. Something about it really gripped me and stayed fresh in my mind for days after hearing it. It’s a pretty light and airy album, with songs of deep emotional qualities and an overall laid-back sort of melancholic vibe to it. I don’t seem to hear very much new music in this style – though I suppose Freeways might be a contender – and perhaps it was that very thing that made it so special and stand out to me. Even while revisiting it, I get a new sense of joy from it. It’s a little rough around the edges in parts, but that single-person handmade feel really sells it to me and regardless of your taste in hard rock or lighter trad, I think this one is great and well-worth your time. Plus, it’s only 35 minutes so why not just give it a spin for fun?

FAVORITE TRACKS: “No Saviour,” “Deep in Love,” “In Memories I Roam”

FOR FANS OF: Thin Lizzy, Freeroad, Wishbone Ash

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Originally published in Aug. '24 (Issue No. 4)