ALBUM REVIEW: Innate Passage – Elder

ELDER have become renowned for their exciting, innovative and unpredictable sound, combining complex, progressive musical passages with mesmeric vocal melodies and infectious harmonies. The band’s sixth album Innate Passage sees them emerge from the pandemic and placed under the influence of the strange and surreal world. From their fantastical point of view ELDER explore the unique paths that we all walked and process the unusual times that we have all lived through. With the distinction and maturity that comes with being pioneering veterans of the scene, the band embrace their prog-leanings even further on Innate Passage, effortlessly outdoing its 2020 predecessor Omens. In doing so, they’ve once again proven why they are the forefront of this innovative new wave of heavy psych bands.

Transitional passages, growth and introspection are at the core of Innate Passage. With this in mind, the album evokes a plethora of complex, subtly nuanced and deeply layered emotions, as the music takes you on a spectacularly beautiful musical odyssey. There is a sense of wholeness that transcends the album, alongside a beautiful intimacy that feels like the warm waves that rush over you whilst you’re in the warm embrace of someone you love. Innate Passage connects with a very deep part of your soul, and in its own unique way encourages you to allow your sense of curiosity and wonder to take over, to look up with joy in your heart and a smile on your face and acknowledge how far you have come over these last few years. How ELDER have a achieved that level of emotional resonance is testament to the band’s innovate songwriting and forward-thinking vision. Furthermore, the album signifies the highest pinnacle in the band’s illustrious career, a truly vibrant culmination of everything they have endeavoured to do all in one brilliantly crafted package.

While Innate Passage builds on the musical foundations and concepts that ELDER first established on Omens, it outshines it on every other level. The positive introspection and affirmative self-reflection that runs throughout the album is captured and contained in sensational, immensely satisfying melodies. When the big riffs announce their presence with resounding power, you can physically feel the power of the music in every fibre of your body. It is without a doubt that this is the strongest that the band have ever sounded. Nick DiSalvo (guitar/vocals) gives a career-defining performance with his mesmeric vocals sounding more confident and prominent. Alongside this is the incredibly ornate interplay between DiSalvo’s guitar and Mike Risberg’s keys, as they interweave over the tight and extremely cohesive rhythm section made up of Jack Donovan (bass) and Georg Edert (drums) – once again reaffirming the point that this new era of ELDER is bolder, stronger and more confident than ever before.

The album opens with the captivatingly optimistic Catastasis, which features ELDER’s first ever guest vocalist, Behrang Alavi (SAMAVAYO), creating a tantalising and infinitely satisfying vocal dynamic within the song’s complex vocal harmonies. The main rhythmic riff underpins dreamy instrumental melodies that are expansive and enchanting. Every part of this album is cohesively connected, and as Catastasis ends, the spacey electronics of Endless Return worm their way into your mind. After the gentle build up, it bursts into a colourful collection of stunningly interwoven melodies between the guitar and keys. The song continues to evolve magnificently, and with each listen through you can notice something different, such is its incredible layering. The frantic shredding in the middle is bound to capture your attention whilst showing off DiSalvo’s excellent musicianship.

The centrepiece of the album, Coalescence, is something to be adored wholeheartedly. ELDER offer up OPETH levels of rhythmical intricacy alongside the dramatic reciprocity between the guitar and piano. Intensely atmospheric, this track serves as the moment of refection on the album before graciously fading into the majestic magnum opus Merged In Dreams – Ne Plus Ultra. A song that is purposefully patient, it gently crescendos into a breathtakingly awe-inspiring progressive, groove-laden riff that defies description. This mammoth song weaves in and out of itself; ever-shifting dynamics draw you in and take you on a dizzying journey to the heights of ELDER’s incredible skill. Album closer The Purpose allows you take a breath, washing you with absorbing, thought-provoking melodies. With one final flurry ELDER amaze you with their compositional prowess before fading out with slow and warm guitar notes and keys.

It is hard to find the right words to properly sum up such a stunning album. ELDER have boldly stepped further than they ever have before and created a confident, assured and captivating album that channels the strangeness of the world and uses it to develop a heart-warmingly positive perspective awash with gorgeous melodies. Innate Passage is simply breathtaking – a beautiful work of art that will delight and empower you.

Rating: 10/10

Innate Passage is set for release on November 25th via Stickman Records/Armageddon Shop.

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