New England Art (Progressive) Rock Society - New England's Ear on Progressive (Prog) Rock Music

NewEARS Album Of The Month

Elder - Through Zero

"ELDER have referred to themselves in the past as a "heavy psych" band. Having spent a couple of weeks digesting Through Zero, there's no better description. This is beautifully executed prog music that'll appeal to Hellfest attendees and GRATEFUL DEAD obsessives alike. Through Zero sets a remarkably high standard for prog in 2026, this record is exceptional." TB-J - DS

"Across seven studio albums, the band has developed a distinctive sound that blends elements of progressive rock, psychedelia, and heavy rock into something unmistakably their own. Their latest album, Through Zero, continues that progression, delivering another ambitious collection of songs that reinforces Elder's reputation as one of the leading forces in modern heavy psychedelic rock. This music is called "Heavy Psych," for a concise term. Based on pentatonic scales (five notes per octave), their music often consists of long songs, heavy, fuzzy riffs, and downtuned guitars. Through Zero is a music engineering term describing a frequency that passes through zero and continues into the negative instead of stopping." DC - TPR

"A great Prog sound that is atmospheric and complex, but also quite heavy at times (without indulging metal cliches) while also maintaining a spirited rockin' groove, kind of like a heavier, harder-rocking Pink Floyd. Their constantly moving rhythm section with interweaving keyboard lines keeps the tempo brisk and energetic, providing the perfect foundation for the guitar riffs laid on top, which is also surprisingly bright and uplifting. Great collaborative instrumental work that meshes together well throughout, effective vocals, and quite melodic and atmospheric despite the heaviness. It all works extremely well on multiple levels. All the tracks are great (6 songs, each 6-11 min), but the album really takes off from the title track on offering an exhilarating album experience." BBK - PA

Essential Track: "Strata" (10:48) opening with alternating bass notes and keyboard arpeggio moving through a few chords together-- again reminding me of both THE CURE but also the COCTEAU TWINS--before launching into a very cool almost KITCHENS OF DISTINCTION/early THE FIXX/ALAN PARSONS PROJECT motif with THE BUGGLES-like flat-toned robot-like harmony vocals on top. The instrumental passages between the vocal verses return to the CURE/COCTEAU motif of the opening section--which is really cool--and, eventually, include ICEHOUSE-like vocals on top, existing as the chorus. At the end of the fourth minute a searing JARED LEACH-like weave of twin lead guitars joins in, giving the music a much more grungy ALICE IN CHAINS/PEARL JAM-like feel and power--a wall of sound section that continues on well into the eighth minute. Around 7:15 the bass and drums let up on the gas a bit but the thick walls of sound continue and somebody's lead guitar solo intensifies until 8:10 when the whole soundscape switches dimensions, now chugging along to make more space for the return of Nicholas' vocals to re-enter around the 9:00 mark. Definitely my favorite weaves on the album so far.

Read the full reviews on The Prog Report, and Prog Archives.

Listen and watch the videos on the artist's YouTube Channel.

Buy the Album from Stickman Records , Armageddon Shop , or wherever great Prog music is sold.

NewEARS Art Rock Series

There are no NewEARS show announcements at this time

Click on the following link for a complete list of bands that have played for the NewEARS Art Rock Series

New England Events

8/13/26	Deep Purple & Kansas - along with Jefferson Starship	Xfinity Center - Mansfield, MA
8/14/26	Bostyx - The Ultimate Boston Styx Tribute	Bijou Theatre - Bridgeport, CT
8/21/26	Into The Floyd - An Interstellar Journey Into the Music of Pink Floyd	NARA Park - Acton, MA
8/21/26	Lotus Land - American RUSH Tribute	Lowell Summer Music Series - Lowell, MA
8/22/26	The Rush Experience - RUSH Tribute	Rex Theatre - Manchester, NH
8/26/26	King's X - Three Sides of One	Blue Ocean Music Hall - Salisbury, MA
8/27/26	King's X - Three Sides of One	Six String Grill & Stage - Foxborough, MA
8/28/26	Justin Hayward - The Story In Your Eyes Tour	The Cabot - Beverly, MA
8/28/26	Blue Collar Men - The Music of Styx	Stadium Theatre - Woonsocket, RI
8/29/26	Justin Hayward - The Story In Your Eyes Tour	Carry Hall - Lexington, MA
9/05/26	Justin Hayward - The Story In Your Eyes Tour	Memorial Hall - Plymouth, MA
9/06/26	Justin Hayward - The Story In Your Eyes Tour	Historic Park Theatre - Cranston, RI

All Upcoming Shows ...>>

NewEARS Featured Show:

8/13 - Xfinity, Mansfield MA

Deep Purple has announced 2026 tour dates featuring Kansas as the very special guest. Jefferson Starship will also appear at many of the upcoming concerts, which begin Aug. 4.

Deep Purple is expected to perform classics such as Smoke on the Water, Highway Star, Lazy, Space Truckin’, and Hush, while Kansas will feature hits like Carry On Wayward Son, Dust in the Wind, Point of Know Return, and Play the Game Tonight.

The tour marks a major North American summer outing for both bands, celebrating decades of classic rock legacy.

Deep Purple's lineup includes Ian Gillan, Roger Glover, Ian Paice, Don Airey, and Simon McBride, while Kansas continues with original guitarist Rich Williams and drummer Eric Holmquist filling in for Phil Ehart.

Fans can expect a high-energy, co-headline experience with legendary performances and opportunities for VIP interactions. This tour represents a rare opportunity to see two iconic rock bands together, with select dates enhanced by Jefferson Starship, making it one of the most anticipated classic rock tours of 2026.