Birdsnest Spruce Disease?

[mrcasey]

I have a young birdsnest spruce that's developed these dark brown bands of discoloration
across its stems and into the needles. the bands are about 1/4" inch. I have scale and borers
on a black hills spruce, but these symptoms look to be different. I don't see any insects or sap leaking.
Any ideas.

 

[Cypress187]

It's a really blurry picture, maybe put something behind it, to (auto) focus the lens better.

 

[mrcasey]

I hope that this is clearer.

 

[MichaelS]

Doesn't look too bad to me. Possibly a deficiency of P. Does the plant have mycorrhizae on it's roots?

 

[0soyoung]

Might those just be old needles?
At least I see nothing in the pix to indicate otherwise.