Artist......: Vipassi
Album.......: Lightless
Year........: 2024

Genre.......: Metal
Label.......: Season of Mist

Source......: WEB (24bit)
Encoder.....: libFLAC
Bitrate.....: 2930kbps avg.
F.Rate......: 96.0kHz

Playtime....: 00:50:04 / 1101.1MB
R.Date......: 2024-01-26
S.Date......: 2024-01-25
Website.....: http://open.qobuz.com/album/pd8xtokc02zwa

01. Lightless                                                         5:06
02. Labyrinthine Hex                                                  7:11
03. Morningstar                                                       6:57
04. Shapshu                                                           4:22
05. Phainesthai                                                       5:49
06. Ruination Glow                                                    6:04
07. Neon Rain                                                         3:58
08. Promethea                                                        10:37

Comprised of past and/or present members of Ne Obliviscaris and Black Lava
(among other groups), extreme instrumental progressive metal quartet
Vipassi infuse their work with challenging chaos and reflectively serene
segues. Indeed, their newest collection – Lightless – expands upon what
worked about 2017's Sunyata to deliver a significantly sleeker and more
exploratory statement. At times, it can be too repetitive and prolonged,
but that doesn't prevent it from being a very profound and commendable part
of the subgenre.

In the band's own words, Lightless is "a journey, an exploration of
emotions, and an invitation to delve deep into the realms of light and
dark." Given that they're named after the 22nd Buddha – who had keen
perception and contemplation regarding humanity and the larger world – it's
no wonder why Vipassi's work is notably meditative and spiritually
turbulent compared to some of their peers and predecessors. With invaluable
help from Cosmitorium fretless bassist Arran McSporran (who replaces
Brendan Brown), the foursome fill Lightless with music that's as
unpredictable and complex as it is divinely expressive and moving.

The opening title track is comparatively light and free, initially using
space between its starry guitar notes and adventurous rhythms to conjure
despair and fearfulness. As it grows, the piece becomes mesmerizingly
agitated, with McSporran's flamboyant patterns providing the foundation for
the interlocking frenzy of his bandmates. Rather than showcase Vipassi's
ability to connect multiple parts, "Lightless" – as well as the disorderly
"Morningstar," peaceful "Ruination Glow," and Meshuggah-esque "Neon Rain" –
highlights how effectively they can ebb and flow around a sustained main
motif.

By and large, the rest of Lightless emphasizes the quartet's mastery of
stitching together different passages without totally abandoning central
throughlines. In particular, "Labyrinthine Hex" presents a perpetual
back-and-forth battle between relentless vehemence and the kind of
introspective spaciness that Animals As Leaders and Between The Buried And
Me do so well. Later, "Shapshu" does arguably the best job of all shifting
between – and sometimes overlapping – tranquil and hectic sections, whereas
"Phainesthai" recalls the vibrant guitarwork and irregular syncopation of
An Endless Sporadic.

As enjoyable as those compositions are overall, some of them run into the
common genre problem of overstaying their welcome. Despite containing
numerous changeups, the nearly 11-minute closer ("Promethea") is
exhaustingly abrasive by the time it runs out of steam; plus, its final
three minutes consist of a delicate soundscape that, while initially
impactful, goes on too long. Elsewhere, "Morningstar" and "Shapshu" would
be stronger if they were 20% shorter or 20% more varied, as they don't have
quite enough going on to warrant their admittedly standard lengths.

Those gripes aside, Lightless is generally a superb follow-up to Sunyata
and a fine example of why Vipassi is among the best up-and-coming
instrumental progressive metal acts. It's clear from start to finish that
the quartet prioritize meaning and mood over egoistical playing, so
although there's plenty of flashy musicianship, it always feels beneficial
rather than superficial. If you're a fan of this style and can dedicate
your full attention to it, Lightless is guaranteed to deliver a
transformative experience.