Release Date: April 12th 2024. Record Label: Argonauta Records. Formats: CD/DD
Et in Arcadia Ego - Tracklisting
Et in Arcadia Ego
Review
Et in Arcadia Ego is the new album from Psychedelic Sludge Metallers LARES and sees the band explore the boundaries of Psych Metal, Doom Metal, Sludge Metal and Post-Black Metal sounds with the band drawing upon vast amounts of 90’s Grunge and Noise Rock. LARES have delved into these areas of music before on previous releases especially on their stunning 2020 album Towards Nothingness.
Et in Arcadia Ego is more Ambient focused with LARES being influenced by bands such as Wolves In The Throne Room and Deafheaven especially where the brutal Blackened Sludge movements transform into beautiful sounds of Psychedelic Post-Rock energy. The record is quite daring with the different style of vocals that LARES employs for this album. Harsh growls and vicious vocals combine for an unsettling approach even within the quieter moments of the album.
LARES have stripped back their entire sound and creative outlook for this album when compared to Towards Nothingness. There’s a sense of emptiness lurking in the background with LARES struggling to keep that feeling behind the scenes but the onslaught of Sludgy guitars slowly transforms into a pitch black style of Ambient and Psychedelic sounds which become quite ETHEREAL when the Doomgaze aspects of the album fully takes over.
Et in Arcadia Ego is a singular twenty seven minutes track but feels longer and that’s a compliment for LARES. As this record takes so many wonderful sounding twists and turns that time just stops and you feel you’re listening to a much longer record.
The album can be quite TRIPPY and SURREAL at times with LARES experimenting with multiple different styles of Psychedelic Sludge Metal and Post-Black Metal that allows Et in Arcadia Ego to be quite TRANSCENDENT and UPLIFTING in nature.
Teaming up with the ever reliable Powerhouse label Argonauta Records, Et in Arcadia Ego has been mixed by Luca Leprotti and mastered by Brad Boatright which gives the record a thoroughly modern setting which is also enhanced by an unsettling claustrophobic delivery that pulls no punches.
Et in Arcadia Ego is an intense journey into the heavier and brutal levels of modern day Psychedelic Sludge Metal which ranks as LARES best album to date.
Words by Steve Howe
Thanks to Grand Sounds Promotion for the promo.
Et in Arcadia Ego will be available to buy on CD/DD via Argonauta Records from Friday April 12th 2024.
For more info:
https://www.facebook.com/laresband
https://www.instagram.com/laresmetal/
https://www.argonautarecords.com/