Doomed Confessionary: Leandro, Edoardo & Tommaso (Lord Elephant)
Lord Elephant is an instrumental psychedelic stoner/doom trio based in Florence, Italy. The band consists of Leandro Gaccione on guitar, Edoardo De Nardi on bass and Tommaso Urzino on drums.
Since their formation in 2016, Lord Elephant has been carefully brewing their potent sonic cocktail, and their 2022 debut album »Cosmic Awakening« (Heavy Psych Sounds) served it up just right: its thunderous dose of psychedelia, stoner, doom, and blues hit the scene hard to critical acclaim.
They’ve since earned their scars on the road, sharing the stage with heavyweights such as EyeHateGod, Church Of Misery, Nebula or Bongzilla, and storming across Europe in the summer of ’23 with the one-and-only Weedeater. From the packed rooms of Desertfest to Rock In Bourlon and Heavy Psych Sound Fest, their live show is a true force of nature.
On their sophomore album »Ultra Soul« (Heavy Psych Sounds, 2026), the trio fuses their jam-packed blend of bluesy doom and heavy psychedelia into a potent acid-drenched concoction, channeling the spirits of the 70s, 90s, and 00s into a sound that is both towering and trip-inducing, while keeping it classy at all times. »Ultra Soul« finds Lord Elephant expanding their vision beyond the cages with their most soulful and captivating work to date.
Can you please say a few words about your band?
We are an instrumental heavy psych/stoner-doom trio formed around 2016 in Tuscany, Italy. We mix massive, fuzzy doom riffs with spacey, atmospheric, and bluesy jams. We released our debut album »Cosmic Awakening« in 2022, a split with Oreyeon named »Doom Session Vol. 8« and our sophomore record »Ultra Soul« in February 2026, all through the specialized label Heavy Psych Sounds.
What was the biggest challenge for the band?
As an instrumental power trio, our biggest challenge is maintaining a narrative flow and keeping the listener fully engaged without a vocalist. We have to make our instruments – especially the guitar melodies and shifting rhythms – tell the story and guide the listener through a cohesive musical landscape without letting the long jams become repetitive.
What can you be most proud of so far?
We are incredibly proud of our evolution between our debut and our latest album, »Ultra Soul«. It took a lot of hard work and years of fine-tuning our sound on the road to build more complex sonic layers, expand our pedalboards, and deliver a record that is much tighter, more dynamic, and musically mature.
What was your biggest regret?
Like many bands in the underground scene, the biggest hurdle is often the lack of time and resources to stay on the road indefinitely. If there is a general regret, it’s not being able to tour even more extensively or fast-track the recording processes, as our material takes a long time to organically grow out of room jams.
What was the best concert/tour so far and why?
Playing the Heavy Psych Sounds Fests (like the ones in Bologna at TPO or other European iterations) has been a highlight. Sharing the stage with label mates and playing in front of a dedicated, packed audience that deeply understands and breathes heavy psych and stoner music always creates an unmatched energy. Impossible not to quote also our crazy european tour with sludge legends Weedeater. The energy, the laughs, the people met in that tour will always remain in our hearts for years to come.
What was the biggest surprise on the music scene for you?
The global renaissance and continuous growth of the heavy instrumental scene. Years ago, it was considered a very niche constraint to not have a singer, but audiences today are more open than ever to closing their eyes and letting a wall of fuzz and psychedelic atmosphere take them on a mental trip.
What is currently in your heavy musical rotation?
Our roots and current rotations always circle back to heavy blues, classic stoner, and doom titans like Kyuss, Sleep, Earthless, Wo Fat, Belzebong, and label peers on Heavy Psych Sounds, mixed with occasional deep dives into space rock and neo-psychedelia.
What was the best advice you’ve ever been given as a musician?
To focus entirely on the chemistry within the room and not overcomplicate the structure for the sake of it. In a trio, every single instrument has to carry equal weight – if the groove between the bass and drums isn’t rock-solid, the heaviest guitar riff won’t save the song.
What are your guilty pleasures?
When you spend hours locked in a small rehearsal room playing monolithic doom riffs, you occasionally need a palate cleanser. This can range from cheap-ass whiskey (which even inspired our track »Black River Blues«) to blasting old-school Italian prog or 70s funk during long van rides on tour. We also devour tons of metal in our spare time.
Can you say something more about the current music scene in Tuscany?
We are based around Empoli and Florence, in Tuscany. The Italian heavy underground and stoner/doom metal scene has been incredibly prolific and booming recently. There is a great network of underground venues, passionate promoters, and exceptionally talented bands breaking out internationally, making Italy a true stronghold for heavy music right now.
Where can we see you live this year (concerts/tours)?
With »Ultra Soul« having dropped in February 2026, we are focused on hitting the road to promote it. You can catch us playing club shows across Italy and selecting European dates, especially at boutique heavy psych festivals and events associated with our label, Heavy Psych Sounds.
What are your plans for the future as a band?
The immediate plan is to tour as much as possible behind the new album and bring these new tracks alive, as they were specifically honed for malleable live performances. Beyond that, we want to keep pushing the boundaries of our cosmic doom sound and not wait another four years before entering the studio again.
How can people best support your band?
The absolute best way is to buy our vinyl, CDs, or merchandise directly via our Bandcamp or the Heavy Psych Sounds webstore, and most importantly, come out to the shows. Underground music thrives on physical attendance and word of mouth.
Do you have any message for your listeners?
Thank you to everyone who has joined us on this trip since »Cosmic Awakening« and to everyone diving into »Ultra Soul«. Turn the volume up, let the fuzz take over, and see you down the road!
Bojan Bidovc // music enthusiast, promoter, misanthrop and sometimes a journalist as well