Review Summary: I apologise…
Before I begin allow me to offer my sincerest apologies. I apologize because I can’t be objective about Elder and their work. Ten years ago, I got hooked on
Lore, and it instantly became one of the best albums I’d heard that year, maybe in the last decade. Objectivity aside, their craft blew me away then, and it still resonates now. My bias is loud, but heartfelt and honest. So the only way I can approach these guys is through the lens of a fanboy, so don't expect a "serious" critical evaluation...
Now back to business...
Elder stands at a remarkable threshold in the contemporary rock and metal landscape, a band that has continually defied easy categorization while tightening its own distinctive identity. The retrospective arc of their discography reads less like a linear progression and more like a fluid experiment in genre fusion, where stoner and doom roots braid with space rock, psychedelia, and progressive sensibilities. The narrative of Elder’s evolution is, in many ways, a study in artistic restraint and reinvention: the band began within familiar heavy soil and gradually levitated into expansive, uncharted sonic terrains. This evolution is not abrupt; it is a carefully cultivated invitation to listeners to abandon rigid expectations and to engage with music that resists categorization yet remains deeply coherent in its emotional and sonic through-lines.
A turning point in Elder’s story proved to be their relocation from Massachusetts to Berlin, a move that mirrors the broader journey of a band migrating from a hometown soundscape into a wider, more cosmopolitan musical conversation. Europe provided a catalyst -a sabbatical of sorts- that allowed the band to breathe, to listen, and to allow fragments of earlier experiments to mature into something more expansive. The decision to revisit and rework fragments from the period before
Innate Passage demonstrates a commendable artistic honesty: rather than forcing new material to fit a prior mold, Elder allowed the fragments to evolve into a cohesive statement that bridges past material with a forward-looking sensibility. The result is an expansive 12" EP that is, in effect, a beacon of continuity and reinvention, signaling to fans and critics alike that Elder’s best work emerges from a space of reflection rather than a hurried attempt to chase current trends.
The EP in question, comprising what amounts to a singular, nearly 19-minute song that unfolds as
Liminality &
Dream State Return, is an architectural marvel in miniature. It embodies a seamless flow where the lines between tracks blur, and listening becomes an immersive experience rather than a sequence of discrete parts. The conceptual core -the band’s exploration of the “in-between”- is reflected in the music’s dual nature: sections of delicate beauty and others of crushing heaviness, sometimes within the same passage. This textural diversity not only showcases the band’s technical facility but also their willingness to let mood govern form. Where some moments invite contemplation through spacious, atmospheric textures, others demand propulsion through thick, insistent riffing. The duality is not jarring; it is, instead, the engine that keeps the composition dynamic across its near -18 to 19- minute span.
Liminality /
Dream State Return also marks Elder’s continued reclamation of the concept album as a living organism. The composition draws from a lineage of space-rock ambiance, progressive complexity, and psychedelic color, yet it never devolves into pastiche. The band’s capacity to achieve a stream-of-consciousness in musical form, with extended instrumental passages, invites listeners into a trance-like journey. This is music designed for immersion - where the grandeur lies not simply in loud climaxes but in the sustained momentum of exploration. The piece’s hypnotic undertow captures a sense of transition - between eras, between influences, and between the banal and the sublime. In this sense, Elder is performing a form of sonic alchemy: transmuting a constellation of influences into something that feels distinctly theirs, yet profoundly resonant with fans who seek depth and density in rock music.
Critically, the press and fans often attempt to pigeonhole Elder, yet the band’s paradox remains: they are at their best precisely when they defy labels. From the heavy, riff-driven power of their early records to the more expansive, kaleidoscopic landscapes of their latest work, Elder embodies a philosophy of music where form is subordinate to a larger sense of purpose and atmosphere. Di Salvio’s guitar work anchors this journey, offering a recognizable thread amid the band’s evolving tapestry. But it is the ensemble’s collective willingness to morph -stretching into heavy rock, space-rock, and beyond- that ensures Elder’s continued relevance. The 2025 incarnation of the band, as reflected in this EP, demonstrates not a surrender to trend but a confident reassertion of individuality within a broader rock canon.
For long-time listeners, the experience is less about checking off genres and more about recognizing the intentional pace and texture of Elder’s sound. The music invites repeated listening, with each spin revealing new facets - subtle melodic cells, intricate instrumental dialogues, and delicate harmonies interlaced with thunderous crescendos. It is this sonorous generosity -an openness to experimentation while preserving a core emotional center- that makes Elder a compelling subject of modern progressive rock discourse. The band’s trajectory suggests that their best work may continue to emerge at the intersections of influence, memory, and invention, where the past informs the future without constraining it.
Elder’s new EP stands as a testament to a band that refuses to stand still. It reflects a mature, fearless approach to music-making -one that honors their history while boldly stepping into new sonic territory. As they chart future courses, fans and scholars alike can anticipate not mere continuance, but evolution - an ongoing conversation between what they have been and what they will become. For those who have followed Elder’s journey, the EP is a reaffirmation that this band can be trusted to lead listeners through the liminal spaces where music becomes not just heard, but felt.
Elder seems unstoppable, a rare beacon in music. I’ll tag along on whatever journey they pursue, confident in their artistic compass. Whether they release an LP or an EP, each project feels fresh, joyful, and distinctly theirs. Being both listener and fan, I’m grateful for the happiness their tunes bring. Here’s to many more years of their wonderful music.
