Elder – Through Zero
Release Date: 29th May 2026
Label: Stickman Records (Europe) Blues Funeral Recordings (North America) Bird’s Robe (Australia)
Bandcamp
Genre: Heavy Psych Rock
FFO: All them Witches, Kanaan, Colour Haze, King Buffalo, Slift.
Review By: Magnus Rotås
As someone who’s followed Elder since the Dead Roots Stirring days, Through Zero is probably the band’s most emotionally heavy and atmospheric record yet. The musicianship is still absurdly good — that’s never really been in question with Elder — but this time the focus feels less on expansive cosmic exploration and more on tension, weight, and introspection. The result is an album that initially let me down, but after quite some spins now, I am starting to see its intricate genius!
What immediately stands out is how dark the whole thing feels. Even compared to the colder stretches of Innate Passage, there’s a sense of unease running within Through Zero that gives the album a distinct identity in their catalog. And technically, the band is firing on every cylinder. Nick DiSalvo’s guitar work remains incredible, always fluid without being flashy — and the rhythm section deserves a ton of credit for how alive these songs feel even in their slower, more meditative passages. The interplay between the instruments is honestly the best it’s ever been. There are moments where the band locks into a groove so tightly that it feels almost krautrock-inspired, and those sections are genuinely mesmerizing.
Yet again we are greeted with six beefy long songs on this album, in true Elder fashion. The opener Sigil To Ruin immediately establishes the album’s darker tone, trading some of Elder’s usual warm psychedelia for something colder and more ominous. The slow-building grooves and layered guitar work are incredible, and the band sounds more technically dialed in than ever.
Capture/Release is probably one of the most rhythmically impressive tracks on the record. The interplay between the drums and bass is unreal here, constantly shifting while still sounding fluid and natural. There’s a tension running through the entire song that makes it compelling.
The title track feels like the centerpiece of the album and probably the closest thing to classic modern Elder. It balances the band’s progressive side with huge atmospheric guitar passages and some genuinely beautiful melodic moments.
Strata is where the album’s darker atmosphere really shines. The repetitive grooves and almost krautrock-like momentum are mesmerizing, and the band’s patience as composers is honestly impressive. The vocals are also exceptional on this track. This is a very good example of a song that has taken me many listens to really appreciate as its hooks are not as immediate as on previous Elder albums.
I have forgotten to mention how the synth plays a big role on this album, with lots of recurring melodic themes recurring throughout the album. On the song Sight Unseen the synths give the song a cinematic feel, before it erupts into the album’s most heavy moment towards the end.
But for all the album’s strengths, I can’t shake the feeling that something essential is missing. Older Elder albums had these transcendent moments — riffs or melodic payoffs that would suddenly elevate an already great song into something unforgettable. Through Zero feels more interested in maintaining atmosphere than delivering those emotional releases. That makes the record cohesive, but it also makes it feel strangely distant. By the end of my first few listens of this album I was impressed, but not particularly moved. Part of that may just come down to expectations. Elder have spent years evolving away from straightforward heavy psych into something far more progressive and nuanced, and I respect that evolution immensely. Through Zero absolutely sounds like the work of a mature band refusing to repeat itself. But in pushing further into mood and texture, they’ve sacrificed some of the immediacy and sense of wonder that made albums like Lore and Reflections of a Floating World so rewarding.
Still, even a slightly underwhelming Elder album is more musically ambitious and thoughtfully constructed than most bands ever manage. Through Zero may not be one of my favorites in their discography (yet), I admire the risk they took here, this is not an easy album and a grower for sure. It’s a darker, colder, more introspective version of Elder — and this will still be one of the best prog-metal releases you will hear all year regardless of first impressions. I am sure that once I have picked up on all the fantastic little nuances that lie within this rich soundscape they have created on this record — I will come to love this one, like I have come to love all the rest of their albums.
(4.5 / 5)
