There’s no redemption with Litosth.
Led by the Brazilian duo Maicon Ristow (vocals/all instruments, I Gather Your Grief, ex-Swords at Hymns) and Wendel Siota (lyrics, Dark Celebration, I Gather Your Grief, ex-Swords at Hymns), the band continues its journey with the label Personal Records for the release of its fourth album, Dreaming.
The band first plunges us into its mysterious sounds on Defy, a rather dark opening track that intensifies with the arrival of roaring vocals but retains its majestic elements to fuel the near-constant contrast, reflecting its diverse influences, all rooted in darkness. The track progresses to the sound of epic keyboards backed by furious riffs, leading into Ruin and its as melodious as dissonant approach, borrowing from its predecessors a deliberate coldness as well as far more aggressive sections, while retaining an unsettling edge that winds its way through the leads. The final is also quite grandiose, but the growls push us on to Eclipse, a composition that begins in a very unsettling manner before finally unleashing its driving rhythm, allowing it to accelerate into a veritable torrent of fury or transition into a much gentler passage. This moment, of course, won’t last long, as the track quickly reunites with all the instruments to flare up once more and lead us into Abyss, whose introduction evokes Black Metal’s medieval/fantasy branch, but which soon races at breakneck speed through a frigid landscape while hypnotizing us with its keyboards. We encounter another gentler moment that heralds the finale, followed by Monolith, which immediately proves more imposing, slower, but also far heavier, even during the aggressive passages that punctuate the composition while infusing it with furious, spontaneous bursts. We finally move on to Iconoclast, where the violence is immediately apparent and rages for much of the track, yet occasionally lets us catch our breath, as with that break that carries hints of prog before becoming far more majestic, before giving way to Nadir and its short but soothing introduction, which leads into a rather haunting progression, revealing another facet of the band’s sound. The second half of the track is almost theatrical, but it ultimately gives rise to the album’s final track, Golgota, which also astounds us with its rapid, gripping intensity that heightens the contrast with the particularly gravelly vocal parts, creating a truly unexpected yet enchanting wave that terrifies us as much as it fascinates us, maintaining a solemn atmosphere right up to the very end.
I really liked Litosth’s previous album, but this one exceeds my expectations, both in terms of darkness and melodies! Dreaming couldn’t have been better named, it truly transports us into its dreamlike world of violence and beauty!
90/100
