Post-rock, post-metal, post-hardcore, sludge: these are the defining elements of Light Bearer's 2011 debut titled Lapsus. The London based group took the concept series penned by Alex (the vocalist) and turned it into a sonic tale of free will. Each part of the series, Lapsus, Silver Tongue, Magisterium, and Lattermost Sword, deals with the passing of the "truth" from metaphorical Lucifer (the light bearer) onto mitochondrial "Eve" and eventually humanity. They've got EPs and splits planned too, which apparently cover the formation of the universe and life (according to their Facebook). Lapsus is naturally the first album in the concept.
And what a glorious debut it is. Lapsus relies almost entirely on atmosphere to carry the listener through great soundscapes, and it does this quite well. The album begins with "Beyond The Infinite," which really just sets up the concept for the rest of the album to play through. "Primum Movens" is Red Sparowes-esque but much more beautiful. Honestly that's the only to describe it. It's got all the layering and that "growing" feeling common with many post-rock masterpieces. "Armoury Choir" has a much more somber tone, and the epic, clean vocal conclusion of "Prelapsus" seamlessly flows straight into "Lapsus" which revisits previous themes from the other tracks, culminating in the end of the album.
It sounds like a bit much and hardly tells you anything about the music itself, right? Well the instrumentation is suitable for this kind of music. The production is heavy in low-end, yet every instrument is present and clearly heard throughout the album. There's interesting fills midway through "Armoury Choir" and quality bass licks to complement the droning chords on nearly every track. Light Bearer isn't afraid to ease off the distortion for some cleaner sections on "Lapsus" and "Primum Movens," but the album is still pretty heavy as a whole. I've seen a few people compare it to Neurosis' mid-era and later work. Some of the riffs could be spiced up a bit, but I wasn't expecting the most technically proficient music when I heard those comparisons. The clean vocals at the end of "Prelapsus" are a bit overdone but it does suit the song quite well regardless, and to top it all off the album concludes on a memorable collusion with a violin while the distant snare taps away in the background. That's about all you can really say about the album. Believe me when I say my words don't do Lapsus justice. It's an album that has to be heard to appreciate.
9.0 out of 10
This album is destined to be a post-rock/metal/hardcore classic and I definitely recommend it to everyone who likes that sort of thing. It took a little to grow on me, so don't discount it at first listen.
Tracklisting:
| 1. | Beyond the Infinite | |||
| 2. | Primum Movens | |||
| 3. | Armoury Choir | |||
| 4. | The Metatron | |||
| 5. | Prelapsus | |||
| 6. | Lapsus |
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