ALBUM REVIEW: Omens – Elder

The way that ELDER introduces the advent of their fifth studio album Omens – a cunningly escalating Hammond organ, transforming into a whirlwind of celestial-sounding synths, scorching riffs, and earth-shaking drums – feels like an alluring trip out of our ether. As it transforms into a swift drum/guitar trade and all those ebb-and-flows, it certainly begins to feel a bit unorthodox. It’s almost as if ELDER tries to persuade us all of their technical mastery, while creative something indubitably epic along the way. As Omens advances, it proves to be worth the tantalising introduction. With astounding electrifying riffs by Mike Risberg and Nick DiSalvo revolving around arcane vocals, courtesy of DiSalvo too, and inspiringly progressive song structures, this album is any prog-rocker’s fantasy, and an enchanting introduction into the ELDER’s discography if you are here for the first time.The indisputable strong point of the record is its commanding performance. The instrumentation is ever so meticulously arrayed, yet never automatic in the way it displays itself. Unfurling with poise and passion, each song is a dazzling triumph of prog and rock that, by hook or by crook, is able to knock up an exceptionally overflowing flavor while setting an uncontrollable fire in the listener’s heart. The title track is perhaps the best example of ELDER’s many angles, opening with a chord progression reminiscent of YES or GENTLE GIANT, then going through a madly broad-ranging sea of sounds that goes from almost distorted ‘70s retro vocals to rapidly altering time signatures that might be heard on any number of Canterbury prog records. Omens is not without softer bits of reflection, which come in the shape of mid-album gem Halcyon – a song that sounds almost tribal by nature but mirrors the progressive feeling of an early HAWKWIND release. Here, the vocals are the focal point, but the moderate, firm drum fills, and elusive guitars create quite a colourful soundscape. Whether brisk or sedating, there isn’t a single bit that feels uncooked, and ELDER poises pace with the firm hand and creativity of experienced musicians.

Even though the technical proficiency of the music evenly resides at the top levels, one of Omens’s highlights is without doubt how memorable these five songs are, no matter the fact that the shortest track here is just under 10 minutes. ELDER are able to weigh up all of those responsibilities and still work in small chunks of approachability that would get stuck in your brain.

Omens speaks a lot not only about ELDER’s talent to make a huge influence on the progressive rock scene, but also about their potential. With a lot of groups it is not difficult to point out their maximum. Sometimes it is a lack of skill, other times it’s an incapacity to glue everything together in a melodic, sonorous cohesive whole. For ELDER, they can clearly do both of these things while spicing their work with other styles. Crossing over the numerous elements of progressive rock, ELDER’s Omens is an amalgamation of these elements, a merging masterpiece, an ecstatic moment in more than half a century long history of a genre. It’s difficult to say what direction will ELDER take after this one, but after all it’s not of importance.

It may sound simple, but it is very likely that ELDER haven’t crafted their best release yet—not by any specific flaw of their own, but rather because crafting a one-hit wonder occurs once in an entire career. So does ELDER have an ageless classic stocked somewhere deep? There’s no way of knowing that for sure, but if judging by Omens, the answer is a wholehearted, undeniable yes.

Rating: 9/10

Omens is set for release on April 24th via Stickman Records.

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