Elder gets psych and synth heavy with their deliciously catch new opus Through Zero.
Release date: May 29, 2026 | Stickman Records | Bandcamp | Instagram
I imagine it must be a bit hard for bands to remain consistent in the long run. Imagine pouring all your creative ideas on a project hoping it lands, only to do that again in like two years or so. That’s why I’m always shocked on how bands like Elder manage to continue to meet the high expectations people have from them.
When it comes to modern progressive stoner music, Elder have been the absolute kings for over ten years now. Since their debut, every single one of their releases has ranged from great to stellar to genre defining. That’s a very high bar they set up for themselves, and they’ve delivered once more with Through Zero.
Their previous release, the excellent Liminality / Dream State Return EP, saw Elder lean very heavily into their psych rock elements, to the point where I’d say it’s more psych than stoner. Through Zero pretty much follows up in this musical direction, while retaining the band’s traditional knack for stoner vibes and heavy riffage. This isn’t to say the band’s helmsman and lead composer Nick DiSalvo has just turned Elder into his psych rock love letter project delving: it’s more like he incorporated these psych elements already present in his own songwriting in a more prominent way. Elder is still its own distinct beast, don’t worry.
And said beast has arguably never been more adventurous or sure of itself than before. Through Zero could go down as Elder‘s most fun album in many ways, from its playful instrumentation and catchy choruses to its surprisingly carefree atmosphere. Fans of the band’s older sludgy tendencies may be put off, but those who can appreciate a good prog extravaganza that doesn’t go overboard will be pleased for sure.
You can tell the band is having fun from the getgo – the intro song “Sigil to Ruin” is an instant all time favorite from them, with deliciously infectious riffs and an outro that’s just the right amount to epic. Dual singles “Capture/Release” and the title track follow with the same highbeat energy. I love how catchy Nick’s vocal lines sound here – they might not exactly be a band you’d sing along to, but these tracks are begging for it and are sure to dominate in a live setting. You can also tell the synth work takes center stage in few moments, which really adds up to the album’s adventurous atmosphere.
The songs that absolutely made the album for me though, were the remarkably beautiful “Strata” and “Sight Unseen”. The former’s dreamy, spacey intro captures your attention before it goes nuts with some of the most fun riffs you’ll hear for the whole year, while the latter is peak synth heavy prog. A perfect song to kick back, relax and vibe to.
Whether this heavy psych approach to Through Zero marks the start of a brand new era for Elder remains to be seen. Personally, I am very, very fond of this direction as it manages to make the band still sound refreshing and innovative. I’d rather they try slightly new things than try to redo their formula forever. I think they already perfected their progressive heavy stoner craft with Lore, so there’s only so much they could still deliver on that front.
At this point, Elder is a band that knows exactly what they do best and what their fans look for in their music. They could just phone it in and keep releasing the same album forever and many would be pleased. But thankfully, they keep experimenting, slightly shifting their sound, and treading different creative paths with each release. This makes every one of their releases unique enough to stand on its own ground as more than ‘just another Elder album’, and I feel that’s the main mark of a strong body of work. Just like all of their music, Through Zero will be on heavy rotation indefinitely for me.
