Elder (band)

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Elder is an American four-piece rock band from Massachusetts, consisting of frontman and lead guitarist Nick DiSalvo, bassist Jack Donovan, guitarist/keyboardist Michael Risberg and drummer Georg Edert. They have released six full-length albums since 2006 and multiple demos and EPs.

Elder are now based in Berlin, Germany.^[3]

Elder was formed in Massachusetts in the mid-2000s by Nick DiSalvo (guitars, vocals), Chas Mitchell (bass), and Matt Couto (drums). After releasing a split album with the psychedelic rock band Queen Elephantine in 2006, Elder released their eponymous debut LP in 2009 and Dead Roots Stirring in 2011, both on MeteorCity Records. The band signed with Stickman Records and released their third LP, Lore, in 2015.

Mike Risberg joined the band on guitars and keyboards in 2017. Co-founding member and drummer Matt Couto left the band in 2019^[4] and was replaced by Georg Edert.

Current

• Nick DiSalvo – vocals, lead guitar, song writing (2006–present)
• Jack Donovan – bass (2008–present)
• Mike Risberg – guitar, keyboards (2017–present)
• Georg Edert – drums (2019–present)

Former

• Matt Couto – drums (2006–2019)
• Chas Mitchell – bass (2006–2007)^[5]

This split album is the first appearance of the band under the name Elder and was released in September 2006.

Track listing:

1. Queen Elephantine - Ramesses I
2. Queen Elephantine - Ramesses II
3. Queen Elephantine - Ramesses III
4. Queen Elephantine - Ramesses IV
5. Elder - 1162
6. Elder - Red Sunrise
7. Elder - Black Midnight
8. Elder - Soul Incarnate

The first demo album by Elder, released in May 2007. Track listing:

1. 1162
2. Red Sunrise
3. Black Midnight

Elder's first full-length self-titled album. This album incorporates a mixture of doom metal and stoner rock elements throughout, while mainly consisting of doom metal and some low-pitched strained vocals on such songs as "Riddle of Steel Pt. 1" similar to Sleep's album Dopesmoker.

Track listing:

1. White Walls - 6:52
2. Hexe - 9:00
3. Riddle of Steel Pt. 1 - 10:00
4. Ghost Head - 7:35
5. Riddle of Steel Pt.2 - 8:21

Elder's second album released on October 25, 2011. This album, unlike their previous album, mainly incorporates stoner rock elements and some psychedelic rock elements. Clay Neely was the sound engineer for the album, Justin Pizzoferrato mixed it, and Adrian Dexter created the album artwork.^[6]

Track listing:

1. Gemini - 9:40
2. Dead Roots Stirring - 12:00
3. III - 8:43
4. The End - 9:16
5. Knot - 11:56

Elder's second demo album.

Track listing:

1. 1162
2. Red Sunrise
3. Black Midnight
4. Gemini (Live)
5. Riddle of Steel (Live)

An extended play (EP), which was only released on vinyl and then converted to a digital format. Released on April 21, 2012.

Track listing:

1. Spires Burn
2. Release

A live album released on November 15, consisting of six tracks from their previously released material.^[7]

Track listing:

1. Gemini
2. Dead Roots Stirring
3. Spires Burn
4. The End
5. Knot
6. Riddle of Steel Pt. 1

A full-length album released on February 27, 2015. This album featured elements reminiscent of progressive rock, as opposed to the more straight stoner rock/metal sound heard on earlier albums.

Track listing:

1. Compendium - 10:39
2. Legend - 12:31
3. Lore - 16:00
4. Deadweight - 9:28
5. Spirit at Aphelion - 10:32

Released on June 2, 2017.^[8] Rolling Stone magazine rated it fifth on its list of the top metal albums for 2017.^[9]

Track listing:

1. Sanctuary - 11:13
2. The Falling Veil - 11:12
3. Staving Off Truth - 10:18
4. Blind - 13:23
5. Sonntag - 8:39
6. Thousand Hands - 9:36

Track listing:

1. Illusory Motion - 9:53
2. Im Morgengrauen - 5:24
3. Weißensee - 18:33

Omens was released on April 24, 2020. The title track was released as a single in February 2020.

Track listing:

1. Omens - 10:53
2. In Procession - 9:53
3. Halcyon - 12:48
4. Embers - 10:47
5. One light retreating - 11:13

On December 3, 2021, Elder released a collaborative album with the German psychedelic rock band Kadavar. The collaboration was the result of tours being cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic and both bands residing in Berlin.^[11]

Track listing:

1. From Deep Within
2. In the Way
3. El Matador
4. Rebirth of the Twins
5. Raspletin
6. Blood Moon Night
7. Cherry Trees

Innate Passage was released on November 25, 2022. The sixth full-length studio release from Elder, the album builds upon the progressive rock elements of their previous studio album, Omens, while finding new ways to improve upon their ever-evolving sound and structure.^[12]

1. Behold the Elder (official band website)
2. Elder on Facebook
3. Elder on Bandcamp