INNATE PASSAGE

A late arrival in the musical year (released on November 25), this Berlin-based (originally formed in Boston, Mass.) ensemble celebrates their 15th year with only their seventh album release.

1. "Catastasis" (10:50) long-rising mid-to-low synth note is soon joined by arpeggiating guitar before full band kicks in at the very end of the first minute. At 1:30 there is an introduction of keyboard sounds that give the grungy baseline track some new life--a lighter, more interesting aspect--which is then culminated with a wild synth solo just before a quiet "reset" bridge before vocalist Nicholas DiSalvo's Kevin Moore-like voice enters to sing. Musical shift at 3:40 into heavier, MOTORPSYCHO-like motif allows Nicholas a chance to explore new styling and melody. I really like the instrumental passage in the middle of the fifth minute, just before the grungy MOTORPSYCHO section that follows. Then at 5:42 we emerge from another high-speed tunnel with Mellotrons and softly arpeggiated guitars and bass into a more uplifting, high-sky region--one in which the keys and guitars seem to support the skyward exploration of our eyes (and dreams). Wonderful! The eight minute turns quite NEKATR-like before the "choral" style multi-voice vocals enter singing a gently melodied passage. At 8:40 we then revert to some more guitar-oriented grunge music as the guitars solo over the top. At 9:44 we then return to a more melodic though still heavy motif over which a Richard Wright-like synth solos to the song's close. Very good song--and a great sounding start to this album. (18.25/20)

2. "Endless Return" (9:54) intricately performed music on a complexity level somewhere between those of MOTORPSYCHO and Jared Leach's GHOST MEDICINE. Not very engaging until the more melodic and smoothed out second half. Nice choral vocals. A tough song to rate since I didn't connect at all (except on a cerebral level) with the first half, but I loved the seventh and eighth minutes. (17.75/20)

3. "Coalescence" (9:47) I love the time the band takes to patiently establish the baseline fabric of the song--with great sound and balance of top-to-bottom dynamics--but when the CHROMA KEY-like vocals start at the four-minute mark it's quite a let down/disappointment. 'Trons, synths, and thickening guitar play build after first verse. Nice. Again, quite wonderful sound clarity and mix. The second verse offers very little improvement upon the first--except for the retention of the fuller soundscape. The two-part two-guitar interplay in the seventh and eighth minutes is nice but never really reaches the tension levels (and resolution) that one hopes for. Still, it's pretty. Return to vocals for the ninth minute before giving way to a synth solo. Sounds so 1975! Solid song that is actually quite enjoyable to listen to, just not worthy of superlatives. (18/20)

4. "Merged in Dreams - Ne Plus Ultra" (14:43) with this opening I feel as if I'm in STEVEN WILSON Hand. Cannot. Erase. territory. Dreamy synth lazily soloing over the top reminds me of California psych-pop band WEST INDIAN GIRL. Heavy guitar strumming and play burst onto the scene at 1:50, and then at 2:34 a more heavy fast-driving guitar riffing starts- -over which Nicholas DiSalvo enters with a Bent Sæther-like vocal. The guitar-centric section that then ensues is very much like Jared Leach's wonderful 2016 release, Discontinuance, but then we back off into more CHROMA KEY-like sound space and vocals at the end of the sixth minute. It's very pretty, relaxing and engaging (with, again, nice multi- track vocal arrangements). Very anti-climactic middle section seems to "end" with a silence starting at 10:10 filled only with a repeating, distant piano arpeggio until subtle synth layers and, eventually, electric guitar chord arpeggi begin to rejoin and re-populate the sonic field. Drums slowly re-introduce themselves until at 13:10 the full band rejoins to play a repeating five-chord progression to the song's close. Very nice but, once again, seems to be begging for more/different build and resolution. (26.5/30)

5. "The Purpose" (8:37) another long (three minute) and engaging intro. Nicholas' vocal enters and the music, for once, stays similar. Once again I feel a very strong CHROMA KEY throughout this song: chord progressions, pacing, synth- born atmospherics, and, of course, Nicholas' vocal sound. At the four-minute mark begins a dreamy space interlude of delicately played instruments, each playing stoccato notes while forming a beautiful weave. At 5:10 we return to the opening motif and the Kevin Moore-like vocal. Then, at the very end of the sixth minute, the guitars burst forth over the continued rhythm section tapestry, but then soon step back so that the many keyboard sounds and textures can step back into the weave. The final 70 seconds find the band reverting to the gorgeous space music of the middle interlude--to fade. (14/15)

Total Time 53:51

Elder's music has become more complex (and very similar to Motorpsycho ?) and intricate (? and Ghost Medicine) than previous albums but somehow less "complete": each song seems to fall short of perceived heights and dénouement of internal conflicts. Too bad cuz the production is excellent and the sound very welcoming. At the same time, I noticed how much I was enjoying the album with each successive listen--due, I think, to the fact that one becomes familiar with the music so easily.

A-/4.5 stars; a minor masterpiece of heavier progressive rock music--and definitely a step in the right direction for this band.

A delicious combo of post-rock atmosphere and proggy touches on a base of select stoner metal.

Over the last year, I have been exploring the breath of psychedelic hard rock and metal, wanting a sound that is a little more ethereal than the sludge of the doom side of stoner metal and maybe just maybe some musical flourishes of prog. That search led me to Elder and their most recent album Innate Passage which contains 5 songs clocking in at 53:53.

The opener "Catastasis" sets the stage, starting with echo-y guitars very much in a post-rock vein but quickly bringing in a heavy guitar groove and then the synths. Vocals finally enter at 2:45, and are definitely more of a textural layer than a lead element. Both vocals and the overall groove sits somewhere between Mastodon and Pink Floyd. In the Mid-point is a riffy guitar break compete with twin leads reminding us that this music has its roots in the 70's. The entire song lasts about 10 minutes and covers a lot of territory but the mood remains pretty ethereal throughout. Nothing is jarring or harsh. The band definitely knows their audience and delivers.

The rest of the album follows the formula and the vibe but keeps introducing new themes, new elements, new angles. In spite of the length of the songs and the consistent tone, I never come close to getting bored. The multi-layered sections vary from smooth to complex. Lots of rhythmic ideas, many composed lines, guitar leads, different types of keyboard tones, plenty of echo and reverb, you get the picture. If Motorpsycho went completely heavy psych, you would be pretty close to this sound.

The individual components of this music are not new. At the same time, I personally have not heard them combined in quite this way and certainly not this well. I would guess that one's response to this music would mirror your response to the many styles they are drawing from. For me, those are some of my favorite styles so finding this album was so exciting that I considered it a personal birthday present (I was born in November when it came out.)

So for me it's a 5 star. YMMV.

ELDER is a name associated with Stoner Rock but these guys are so much more than that on this 2022 album. This record has blown me away with just how tasteful it all is. I mean they contrast the heavy and atmospheric throughout but never get too heavy or too light. Attention to detail throughout the 54 minutes. This "sounds" amazing. Those clean guitars with echo contrasted with the riffs and heavy sound could not have been done better. I'm still scratching my head at how incredible this record is.

This band made a lot of fans with "Dead Roots Stirring", "Lore" and "Reflections On A Floating World" a great three album run. Many weren't as impressed with the next two but man they put their all into this one and I don't know how they can top this. Other reviewers even mention YES, this is far from one dimensional Stoner Rock my friends. Even the lyrics are of the highest order. Maybe moving from Boston to Germany has just made them take their profession more seriously or they are just are maturing and are more comfortable with themselves.

Five fairly long tracks here with the closer at over 8 1/2 minutes being the shortest. I didn't mention the keyboards but a couple of the guys add it and there's a guest keyboardist on the closer. The synths are pretty cool here I must say and I like the way they trade off early on that closer "The Purpose" before it kicks in heavily. I love the quieter sections on this one. The keys, bass and picked guitar for example after 4 minutes.

"Coalescence" freaked me out the first time I heard the start because it sounds so much like a song off of ANEKDOTEN's "Gravity" album. Love it! It does turn heavier before vocals arrive 4 minutes in on this almost 10 minute piece. So much intensity here. This might be my favourite track. "Endless Return" is a ten minute song with a spacey start but not for long as it turns heavy. Check out the change around 6 minutes to a bass led section as drums join in. So cool. Guitar lights it up later. "Catastasis" is the almost 11 minute opener and gets the record off on the right foot. The synths were a surprise I must admit on that first spin after 2 minutes. Between 5 and 8 minutes we get some incredible instrumental music to say the least.

"Merged In Dreams-Ne Plus Ultra" is the longest tune at just under 15 minutes opening in a Post-Rock manner with that guitar and sound as synths swirl around. So uplifting and trippy. It kicks in before 2 minutes with some ripping guitar as I go and get my hat that just blew off. They get into an uptempo groove with riffs as the vocals arrive. The last 5 minutes or so are interesting as it calms right down then builds until they are cooking!

Gotta go 5 stars here. No weak tracks, it's very consistent and adventerous within their style. This is the one!