"A fine example of why Vipassi is among the best up-and-coming instrumental progressive metal acts" - Metal Injection
"Vipassi have managed to take the prior achievements of their debut and interlaced them with fresh ideas and approaches that show a massive development in their sound" - Distorted Sound (9/10)
"What makes Lightless truly stand out is its genuine sense of personality...a chemistry that cannot be imitated or manufactured. I'll take that kind of real vision and know-how over noodle salad any day of the week" - Metal Sucks (4/5)
It's no wonder that VIPASSI can spin epic stories without uttering a word. As a purely instrumental band, they're blessed with a telepathic chemistry. Today, the Aussies are unveiling a live studio recorded playthrough of "Phainesthai", the lead single off their new album Lightless.
Watch the band weave and wind through "Phainesthai" below.
Lightless is out now on Season of Mist.
Order: https://redirect.season-of-mist.com/VipassiLightless
Building upon the void-like brilliance of their debut album, Śūnyatā, Vipassi’s second album Lightless transcends the ephemeral boundaries of instrumental progressive metal. This sophomore offering delves into the eternal themes of light casting shadows, and the band’s unparalleled musicianship evokes a symphony of intricate emotions. Together, they breathe life into a world where the listener navigates the labyrinthine hex of their own subconscious.
The new playthrough video of "Phainesthai" is not merely a display of skill. Drummer Dan Presland (Black Lava, Ne Obliviscaris) intertwines with the electric guitar movements of Ben Boyle (Black Lava, Hadal Maw) and Benjamin Baret (Ne Obliviscaris), along with the fretless bass tones of Arran McSporran, opening a portal into a world where darkness and light are locked in an eternal struggle.
This playthrough of "Phainesthai" was recorded live at Bushido Studios, where Vipassi recorded most of Lightless. The audio was engineered by the album's sound engineer Troy McCosker and mixed by Declan White. The video was shot by Joe Ritson and edited by Dan Presland.
In Buddhist tradition, VIPASSI is the twenty-second of the twenty-eight Buddhas. Etymologically, the name has its roots in clear vision – a being of extreme contemplation. The band of the same name is a world-spnning instrumental extreme metal band from the lands of Australia, France and the UK.
With members of acts such as Ne Obliviscaris, Black Lava, Hadal Maw & Virvum, their work on the 2017 debut album ‘Sunyata’, which has a loose signification of Emptiness or Void, set the grounds for a technically impressive and fully instrumental exploration of sonic textures in what can best be described as – a divine experience reaching the depths of the human soul.
Originally made as a project between Daniel Presland (Drums) and Ben Boyle (Guitars) as far back as 2007 to explore new concepts and sounds not currently engaged by their projects at the time, the band has since then grown and expanded to an international connection of like-minded musicians and virtuosos with Arran McSporran (Fretless Bass) and Benjamin Baret (Guitars).
Further exploring their labyrinthine textures and layers of sounds, the band VIPASSI is back with their sophomore album ‘Lightless’. The album shifts from the realm of the void towards a clash of light and dark – and sees the band expanding into even more technical and experimental realms, pushing the limits of their own ideas and abilities to heights unimagined when the band began all those years ago.
Lineup
Daniel Presland - Drums
Ben Boyle - Guitars & Synths
Arran McSporran - Fretless Bass
Benjamin Baret - Guitar Solos
Recording
Bushido Studios, Melbourne, Australia with additional recording in Gandia, Spain & Bordeaux, France.
Production
Sound Engineer - Troy Mccosker
Mixing & Mastering Engineer - Mark Lewis
Cover Art
Xenoyr - https://www.xenoyr.com/
Bio
Sébastien Gamez
Pre-order: https://shop.season-of-mist.com/list/vipassi-lightless
Available formats:
CD Digipak
Digital Download
12" Vinyl Gatefold - Black
12" Coloured Vinyl Gatefold - Black & White Splatters
Links
Apple Music: https://music.apple.com/us/artist/vipassi/1082297817
Bandcamp: https://vipassi.bandcamp.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/vipassiband
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/vipassiband/
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/7GWniL0LcVnR9Ptiaa5J1
