Do you like head banging so hard your neck hurts? If so, Elder is probably for you. The heavy psych band formed in Boston in 2006 and has since released two full albums and a number of demos and EPS. They pack in metal riffs with a classic hard rock sound and some incredible guitar solos. The way the bass (Jack Donovan), guitar (Nick DiSalvo), and drums (Matt Couto) blend together rhythmically is also truly impressive. For a great example of how they synergize to create a really tight stoner metal sound, listen to “The End” from their second album, Dead Roots Stirring (2011):
[youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W9kMoN7hmlE]
And if you’re not a fan of screaming in metal (like me), don’t worry. Lead vocalist Nick DiSalvo sounds more like classic Black Sabbath than anything you’d hear in, say, Slayer. A last song I highly recommend to get a sense of their style—“Spires Burn” from their most recent EP:
[youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2b940y_gMsg]
If you want to rock out this Saturday night, be sure to check out Elder. The heavy riffs they lay down create a huge atmosphere—the psych rock vibe is overwhelming (in a good way). There will be Rock and, at the risk of overselling them, there will most likely also be Roll.