INNATE PASSAGE

I first heard about Elder following the release of their 2017 album Reflections of a Floating World, and was instantly floored with the extremely thick and dense stoner doom sound mixed with atmospheric psychedelia and prog rock. While this certainly isn't new for stoner doom bands to mix prog into their sound, with bands such as Pallbearer and Baroness coming to mind as notable examples, Elder stands out as they embrace the darker and more mysterious aspects of prog to add to their already murky sound. Naturally this got me intrigued with what the band would do next, and while 2020's Omens disappointed me with meandering song structures and a lackluster vocal performance, I still respected the exploration of a softer sound with the prog influences being placed more at the forefront. The instrumental performances themselves also became more involved, featuring more complex riffing between the guitars, bass, and keyboards.

This leads me into talking about their latest record, Innate Passage, which in many ways feels like a happy medium between Reflections and Omens. Songs on this LP transition from a sludgy groove with a gritty guitar tone and thunderous bass to a smoother and more melodic jam with ease, making the songwriting feel much more dynamic and satisfying to listen to than the previous record. It also helps the pacing of Innate Passage that most of the five songs are shorter than what was found on the previous two releases, with the only song considerably longer than 10 minutes being "Merged in Dreams ? Ne Plus Ultra". This penultimate track is where the majority of the progisms reside, featuring extended moody segments filled with reverby guitar riffs and Moog synth lines. Performances are just as tight on this record, with the guitars and keyboards performing playful runs that feel reminiscent of Fragile-era Yes throughout. The bass and keyboards also get a moment to play off of each other as well about halfway through "Endless Return", in one of the record's most sublime moments.

The production is excellent as well, giving each instrument its proper room to breathe, however the vocals are still the weakest link on this record. While they are certainly not bad, the vocals are buried in the mix and struggle desperately to break free, albeit to limited success. This problem isn't helped too much by the fact that singing on this record is so few and far between that whenever the vocals show up, the difference in quality is noticeable right away. Despite this mild annoyance, Innate Passage is still an incredible record, showing that Elder is still able to craft an experience that, while not as groundbreaking as Reflections, is still immensely rewarding to listen to.