Elder performing during the Winter Tour 2024 at the Moody Center in Austin, Texas on January 31, 2024, with Nick DiSalvo, Jack Donovan, Mike Risberg, and Georg Edert. (Photo: Ralph Arvesen)
Elder, a boundary-defying rock ensemble, blends heavy psychedelic tones with progressive nuances and immersive sonic landscapes. Emerging in a quaint coastal town in Massachusetts in the mid-2000s, the band has evolved its sound across five albums, transitioning from a stalwart of the stoner/doom genre to a distinctive voice in the rock underground. Their extensive compositions unfold as epic journeys, traversing styles from the 1970s to the present within single tracks, characterized by a penchant for "sheer gatefold-era grandeur" (Rolling Stone).
By consistently integrating novel elements into their music, Elder has consistently set standards for their peers. Commencing with 2008’s "Elder" and 2010’s "Dead Roots Stirring," the band made waves in the stoner rock scene with their uniquely melodic approach. In 2015, they stunned audiences with "Lore," a pivotal moment in their career (recently hailed as "Album of the Decade" by The Obelisk), which introduced post-, prog-, and space rock elements. Despite extensive touring following the album, "Reflections of a Floating World" debuted just two years later, earning acclaim and securing top spots on numerous best-of lists, including Rolling Stone (#5, 20 Best Metal Albums of 2017), Stereogum, and others.
In 2019, a stopover in Berlin, Germany during a tour produced the experimental EP "The Gold & Silver Sessions." Recorded live and inspired by ideas conceived on the road, the release showcased Elder’s softer side, featuring motorik beats, lush keyboards, and sparse arrangements in lieu of their typical colossal riffs and dense structures. Nearly fifteen years since their inception, Elder's stylistic horizons remained wide open.
In 2020, Elder’s album "Omens" silenced any doubts about their creative trajectory, emphasizing evolution over extinction. Lush, intricately woven melodies blend and dissolve into spaced-out jams; colossal riffs cascade into a swirling sea of psychedelic sounds, while unpredictable grooves carry the listener away. "Omens" reveals the band experimenting with a more vibrant palette, recorded as the first full-length album with a new lineup including guitarist Michael Risberg, drummer Georg Edert, and guest performances by Fabio Cuomo on Rhodes piano and synthesizers.
Throughout the early 2020s pandemic, Elder persisted in crafting new music despite facing constraints at the onset of a new album release. Drawing inspiration from the surreal and bizarre events of everyday life, they quickly assembled a body of work that culminated in their latest album, "Innate Passage." Recorded and mixed at Cloud’s Hill Studio in Hamburg, Germany during two sessions in 2021, the album demonstrates the band's ever-expanding musical lexicon and passion for sonic exploration like never before.
Fan reviews:Elder shared the stage with Tool at the Moody Center. They continue across the United State with the last stop at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada on February 18, 2024.
Wow. And I mean wow! I have gotten to see this band three different times in three different cities. And wow. This is a band to see live and enjoy live. The sounds is so good! The live versions are flawless. My new favorite band.
Absolutely brilliant! These guys are incredible musicians. If you are a fan of prog, psych, metal, or all three, make it a priority to see Elder.
Elder delivered a great performance!
Probably the best metal show I’ve seen in ten years. These guys have been such a pleasure to watch grow and mature over the years and their live performances are a blast.
Elder
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Photos by Ralph Arvesen
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