As the celestial dance between light and darkness continues, VIPASSI beckons their audience to witness a moment of absolute clairvoyance. Today, we proudly unveil the full band playthrough for Phainesthai, a keystone of the transcendent album Lightless, which was released on January 26th.
Building upon the void-like brilliance of their debut, Śūnyatā, VIPASSI’s 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.
Crafted within the walls of Bushido Studios in Melbourne and refined by the adept hands of sound engineer Troy Mccosker and mixing maestro Mark Lewis, Lightless is more than an album—it’s an invitation to a celestial labyrinth. VIPASSI‘s refined artistry and technical prowess breathe life into a world where the listener navigates the labyrinthine hex of their own subconscious.
The intricate patterns of Presland’s drumming intertwine with the eclectic guitar movements of Ben Boyle and Benjamin Baret, and the fretless bass tones of Arran McSporran, crafting a dynamic and ever-evolving aural landscape. This playthrough is not merely a display of skill but a portal to the realms where light and dark engage in eternal dichotomy.
Watch the playthrough now on the Season of Mist YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HD5Zn7S8pMY
Order: https://redirect.season-of-mist.com/VipassiLightless
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.
Watch as they weave as one through this playthrough of single Labyrinthine Hex.
As well as being instrumental masters, VIPASSI have also crafted intricate narratives on their first single Phainesthai with a video shot, directed and edited by Jack Fontes.
The cover art was created by Xenoyr (https://www.xenoyr.com/)
Tracklist
1. Lightless (5:07)2. Labyrinthine Hex (7:11) [WATCH]
3. Morningstar (6:57) [WATCH]
4. Shapshu (4:23)
5. Phainesthai (5:49) [WATCH]
6. Ruination Glow (6:05)
7. Neon Rain (3:59)
8. Promethea (10:42)
Totalruntime: 50:13
Style: Instrumental progressive metal
FFO: Ne Obliviscaris, Beyond Creation, Aubury, Virvum
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
Mixing (Live Version of Phainesthai) – Declan White
Cover Art
Xenoyr – https://www.xenoyr.com/
Follow Vipassi:
Bandcamp: https://vipassi.bandcamp.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/vipassiband
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/vipassiband/
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/7GWniL0LcVnR9Ptiaa5J1
Apple Music: https://music.apple.com/us/artist/vipassi/1082297817
Deezer: https://www.deezer.com/artist/9814258
TIDAL: https://tidal.com/browse/artist/7589038