Rockfreaks.net

support Slomosa
author AP date 29/10/23 venue Pumpehuset, Copenhagen, DEN

At last and alas, real life and the duties that come with it began interfering with my concert attendance, and as such, I must apologise for the tardiness of this review. But at the tail end of October, there was a show that deserves an opinion even after more than a week has passed since its final notes rang out. Indeed, the progressive stoner rock and metal maestros of Elder were in town as part of their first European tour as a quintet, with Fabien de Menou augmenting their studio line-up with live keyboard and synth. It was was also the first time that I would be watching the band live since 2016 — a period in which the band has managed to issue no less than three full-length albums to expand upon their kaleidoscopic sound. Sadly, our photographer fell the day before the concert, so you’ll need to settle for my attempt to capture the vibe of the concert with words alone…

Slomosa

Before the main act, Slomosa has the honour of opening the proceedings, and judging by the instant eruption of cheers, followed by wild rocking out upfront, the Norwegian desert rock group’s first-ever concert in Denmark has been hotly anticipated. And the band also makes a good first impression, with guitarists Benjamin Berdous and Tor Erik Bye slinging one infectious, fuzz riff and noodling lead after the other, whilst bassist Marie Moe and drummer Jard Hole are laying down irresistible grooves in songs like the brand new single “Cabin Fever”, and the following “Scavengers” off the band’s 2020 self-titled début album. It is in the instrumentals that Slomosa find their strength, while the vocals of Berdous often leave something to be desired. This drawback is best exemplified by the fifth track “In My Mind’s Desert”, which is announced as “a pop song” by Berdous. In truth, it brings more of a garage rock vibe, and while the chorus in particular is catchy enough, this vocal-focused track finds the band running around in circles for nearly five minutes, and as such, it far outstays its welcome. Unfortunately, this song also marks a kind of pivot in the band’s setlist, with none of the subsequent tracks inspiring too much awe in yours truly. The five musicians make an honest effort in songs like “Kevin” and the closing piece “Horses”, and by and large the audience remains in support of them throughout, headbanging dutifully when the going gets heavy, and clapping along when the rhythm calls for it. Still, I cannot shake the feeling that while Slomosa’s music and performance are both entirely palatable, there is nothing extraordinary here that other acts of their ilk haven’t done before or better.

Elder

Elder’s concert begins with “Catastasis” from their latest record, 2022’s “Innate Passage”, a song that perfectly encapsulates this group’s penchant for letting each instrument breathe and evolve, creating a rich and textured soundscape that, as mentioned in the preamble to this review, often feels like traversing through a kaleidoscope. Whereas the bassist tends to be the least prominent member in a rock band for better or worse, Elder’s Jack Donovan is a different breed; his groove allows the two guitarists, Nick DiSalvo and Mike Risberg, to veer off on their own musical tangents, but at the same time, his riffs and licks transcend mere rhythm instrumentation, making an indelible imprint on songs like “Blind” (taken from 2017’s “Reflections of a Floating World”). It does feel like de Menou’s keystrokes soar too high in the mix at times, overpowering the luscious guitar arrangements, just as the two guitarists struggle with nailing the highest pitches during some of their vocal harmonies. But these setbacks are a sporadic distraction that does little to mar an otherwise stellar performance by the Massachusetts-born outfit.

After that second song, DiSalvo reveals that the inclusion of de Menou on this tour allowed them to venture into uncharted musical territories and assemble a setlist that should surprise even their most devout fans. This news is welcomed with a roar of approval from the crowd, and as “Merged in Dreams - Ne Plus Ultra” is then unleashed, someone at the front picks up one of the steel fans on stage and waves it around in circular movements to create a vortex of air swirling against a visibly amused DiSalvo’s face and hair. Said crowd member appears oddly ecstatic as he does so, which, I suppose, is not an uncommon effect of listening to this band’s music. Another reaction that songs like “Embers” off 2020’s “Omens” seem to elicit is sheer disbelief, expressed through laughter and woo-hoos, at how flawlessly the five musicians are able to execute the plethora of transitions that occur within their compositions, and how much room they’re able to find for bits of experimentation and improvisation outside the recorded scope of their material. It always sounds fresh when heard in the live setting — especially with de Menou now in the fold.

Indeed, the Frenchman’s presence offers myriad possibilities for Elder to revisit and revitalise their older repertoire. The band does exactly this with the title track to their 2015 offering “Lore”, in which the serpentine, harmonised guitar leads of DiSalvo and Risberg are now intertwined with sheets of glistening synthesiser, culminating in an intense jam segment backed by spiralling split beam lights in pale rainbow shades. It is one of the standout moments of the concert, with “Gemini” taken from 2011’s “Dead Roots Stirring” providing another in the encore, by virtue of its heavier, sludgier style also receiving a refreshing makeover in de Menou’s capable hands. And after 90 minutes of watching Elder reinventing themselves in realtime with a maestro’s finesse, it is no wonder the audience is left spellbound, applauding and cheering for minutes on end as the five musicians exit the stage. Indeed, the band’s concert here is a showcase for their ability to evolve without losing touch with the elements that made them unique in the first place.

Setlist:

• 1. Catastasis
• 2. Blind
• 3. Embers
• 4. Merged in Dreams - Ne Plus Ultra
• 5. Im Morgengrauen
• 6. Lore
• 7. The Purpose

— Encore —

• 8. Gemini