Elder: Commanding Respect
ELDER has long led the way in heavy psychedelic and progressive rock, and their superb catalog of work stretches back to 2006 with the likes of 2011’s Dead Roots Stirring becoming a staple for any fan of the genre. But as the band grows and the world evolves, frontman Nick DiSalvo tells us why they’re opting to soften the edges a bit on for their new album, Innate Passage.
“We’ve been playing loud heavy music for a long time,” says Nick. “But we became less interested in that, and more interested in the softer, experimental music. We’ve enjoyed bringing more diversity and dynamics into the room because it reflects more of our real interests.” This could be heard clearly on the fantastic Omens released in 2020, and continues this month with ELDER‘s sixth full-length studio album Innate Passage. Far more introspective and progressive than they’ve sounded before, but still sinking its hooks into the listener with infectious groove and irresistible riffage, this is still the same ELDER we’ve all come to know and love.
But what of the album itself? “We started working on Innate Passage as soon as we finished Omens. That album definitely wasn’t impacted by the pandemic, but there was no touring, and so we got to work immediately.” It’s a welcome change of pace for fans of the band, who so far have received new ELDER albums every three-to-four years, so to be getting a new release just 18 months on from the last studio album will be literal music to ears. As it happens, change is top of the agenda.
“It’s not a concept album, but it is themed around change – both from a personal perspective and a world view perspective. Change is part of every human,” Nick explains. While the whole world has dealt with mass change of late, ELDER also welcomed in new drummer George Edert just before the release of Omens. “My perception of the world and reality has changed a lot in recent years and there’s this weird public discourse about undeniable facts and people living in their own self-invented worlds. It’s strange to be living in a surreal world.”
And now he’s travelling this surreal world, once again bringing ELDER‘s music to the masses. In fact, Nick spoke to us from the streets of Copenhagen, having just completed sound check for their show in the Danish capital. It was just one part of a mammoth tour that included 34 nights in 18 countries across Europe with heavy psych/doom peers PALLBEARER. “It’s comfortable. Those guys are awesome and super nice dudes. They’re a pro band and know their shit. It’s nice to be with a band that you really enjoy.”
It seems only natural for these two bands to have embarked on a co-headline tour. They’ve been in the same circles for years and are each looked up to as the leading lights of their sound. Spit in the doomic air and it’ll land on a band who lists at least one of them as an influence, or suitable ‘for fans of’, including Nick‘s own hot recommendation of Norwegian band KOSMO DOME. Such a landmark tour also gives Nick and ELDER solace in not touring again for a while. “We’ve been touring non stop for the past six months, so right now I just want to go home and sleep for a month.” So a hibernation of sorts then it would seem? “Knowing me, I’ll be back writing music within two days, and there are irons in the fire for tour plans next year,” teases Nick. Indeed, ELDER will make their ArcTanGent debut in 2023 having been revealed in the first line up announcement this month. This is just one of what sounds like a swathe of European festivals over the course of next summer, so fans ought to watch this space.
But while things cool off for ELDER until those 2023 tour plans, Nick is keen to keep on working creatively. “It’s been a while now since I sat down and tried to write new music though, so I’d like to do that. Maybe not ELDER at this point. I feel like I need to like, scratch another itch. I have this other project, this soul thing called DELVING. I put out a record last year and got a bunch of material for that that needs sorting through, so I’d like to try and work on that this winter and try to do another record that way.”
Rest assured though that ELDER aren’t going anywhere. When so much is uncertain, they have been rock steady and almost thrived on the changeability of existence. When life gives you lemons, make lemonade, and when the lemonade is as good as Omens and the upcoming Innate Passage, who can argue with such sage advice?
Innate Passage is out now via Stickman Records/Armageddon Shop.
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