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.