Omens
Omens puts Elder's progressive rock side firmly in the foreground. Keyboards play a larger role, the guitars have more space around them, and the band explore a lighter sound without giving up the weight of their rhythm section. The results are often impressive, although the move also exposes weaknesses that heavier production could hide.
The title track offers the clearest introduction. Organ and synth sounds lead into strong guitar riffs and forceful drumming. There is plenty happening, but the parts respond to one another instead of competing for attention. Changing rhythms and melodic guitar lines keep the long arrangement active, while the heavier passages give it a solid base.
Halcyon develops that approach with a more patient build. Its open guitar sound and shifting rhythms create room for smaller details to register, before the music gathers more weight. The closing combination of a repeated keyboard figure and heavier guitar is especially effective. It sounds carefully arranged without becoming stiff.
The singing is a less reliable part of the record. Nicholas DiSalvo's softer delivery can feel too thin beside the instrumental work, particularly on In Procession and Embers. There is an appealing directness to his voice, but the clearer presentation leaves those limitations easier to hear. Some keyboard tones also sit awkwardly far forward in the mix.
That matters because the songs are long enough for small problems to become persistent ones. In Procession has strong instrumental details, yet its vocal passages do not always give the arrangement the lift it needs. Omens is more convincing when the guitars and drums are allowed to shape the movement together.
One Light Retreating ends the album well, bringing its guitar-led energy into a quieter synth passage before one final heavy return. It gives the record a satisfying finish without abandoning the expanded sound.
Omens contains ambitious, well-played music and several excellent stretches. Its balance between atmosphere and weight remains appealing, but the vocals and uneven mix keep it from matching the confidence of its strongest compositions. There is plenty worth exploring here, with a few clear reservations.
