Dutch avant-garde post-black metal trio Laster aims to surprise the listeners with the genre bending approach and the unusual soundscapes of the third album “Het Wassen Oog”.
You can easily perceive the enigmatic nature of “Vacuüum ≠ Behoud” as the intricate melodic guitar work incorporates familiar shoegaze elements that later will acquire darker nuances following the menacing faster drumming and the hellish screams to fully embrace a primal blackened force.
On “Schone Schijn” the jazzy incursions and the excellent musicianship lead to a cathartic instrumental ensemble that confidently follows the several tempo variations yet continues to hold an inner black metal inspiration expressed mainly by the creepy atmospheres and the ravenous screams.
On “Haat & Bonhomie” the avantgarde approach is still prominent as the instrumental passages seamlessly shift from arcane blackened rhythmic blasts to softer and drastically slower crispy guitar melodies accompanied by smooth clean vocals.
“Weerworm” feels extremely spacey as the main guitar melodies seem to go on forever creating slow dizzy dynamics that favor the elegant & hazy atmospheric arrangements and leave behind any sign of black metal fury.
The complex structure of “Zinsbetovering” features intense blackened rhythmic patterns but at the same time often deviates from the expected aggressive momentum allowing guitars to craft soothing harmonies with prominent jazzy vibes and moody shoegaze atmospheres evoking serene feelings.
The traditional black metal roots of Laster always emerge throughout “Het Wassen Oog” with bursts of obscure energy but undoubtedly the strength of the album is generated by the eclectic composition and the desire to freely experiment with diverse music genres.