Light Bearer.

This is, literally, the meaning of this band's moniker.
Such a light bearer is the recurring theme of the concept of this album.

"The narrative follows the casting out of the innocent Lucifer, light bearer, and his attempt to sew the seeds of sentience in humanity, to bear witness to the true form of the Authority; a liar and a false God."

The concept comes to life through the inspiration of various literary works: the trilogy "His Dark Materials" by Philip Pullman, "Paradise Lost" by John Milton, and "The Divine Comedy" by Dante Alighieri.
But in reality, this work, lyrically and conceptually, is a reinterpretation of the Book of Genesis, with additional elements taken from the aforementioned works. Delving into the concept behind this creation is not only interesting but also obligatory, as it is entirely written by Alex, the former singer of the (now cult) band Fall Of Efrafa.

And it's precisely from here that everything starts. With the dissolution of FoE acknowledged, Alex embarks on another adventure, on paper, quite intriguing.
The reference names are various, according to him the band invokes groups such as Envy, Red Sparrowes, Sigur Rós, Neurosis, early Baroness, Circle Takes The Square, Mastodon, 65 days of static, Mouth of the Architect, and Cult of Luna. Indeed, he is perfectly right.
The album in question, "Lapsus", is very simply a work where elements of post-rock, post-core/metal, screamo, and in some ways even ambient/drone meld together. The names that come to mind at first glance, only three, reasonably cited by Alex: Envy, Cult of Luna, and Red Sparowes. The mood, that sort of despair at times open to hope, the voice, taken from the first two. The softer and more ethereal solutions from the others.
It is not an original, innovative album or however you want to interpret it. It is not what our focus is on. Alex himself wrote: they do not attempt to impress or do something new. They play with heart and are tired of the idea that music must be original to be considered worthy. This is an album written with heart and passion, traits that should distinguish every artistic imprint.
Another thing is certain, comparisons with Fall Of Efrafa are considered almost unanimously necessary. The legacy of Alex's former band is truly imposing. And in this regard, he himself does not want Light Bearer to be compared to FoE. They are two completely different entities. The genre is the same, many will say, but that is not the point. Light Bearer does not aim for what Fall Of Efrafa aimed for. And the presence of the same singer in both groups is not an excuse to validate the comparisons.
Even in music, the differences are indeed notable. The crust/d-beat component of FoE is entirely absent, many solutions are on the verge of more expansive post-rock (see, for example, the beginning of "Primum Movens"), certain moments closely resemble atmospheres dear to Sigur Rós, such as the moving finale of the title track, also accompanied by a beautiful cello. Always in the title track, the central section even seems to pay homage to early Tool, moreover there are soundscapes that closely resemble ambient, as also in "Armoury Choir".
Curious, however, is the use of clean vocals, which many found indigestible, while others thought them spot-on. Used only in the penultimate track "Prelapsus", for about thirty seconds, and on the verge of spoken word in "The Metatron".

The main flaw of this album is that at times it may seem verbose (two tracks reach fifteen minutes and one exceeds it), but it is easy to overlook. Boredom practically never intervenes, and it will even seem as if time has accelerated. Two minutes feel like thirty seconds, once a track ends, one asks, "Already?"
A sense of inner dissatisfaction, which demands more impetuously. That something that will arrive as the minutes pass, but that will never fully satisfy.

Much like a cigarette: as soon as one is extinguished, the need arises to light another.
And so it is with this album, one feels the need to listen to it again.
And again.
And again.

Tracklist and Videos

01   Beyond the Infinite (04:04)

02   Primum Movens (13:57)

03   Armoury Choir (14:46)

04   The Metatron (01:43)

05   Prelapsus (07:05)

06   Lapsus (17:40)

Loading comments  slowly

Other reviews

By Ashbringer83

 Prelapsus dictates the martial rhythm of his relentless march upwards, a slow journey that will finally bring him back to see the light again.

 I could never again be an angel... Innocence, once lost, can never be regained.