LASCAILLE'S SHROUD — Interval 01: Parallel Infinities - The Inner Universe (review)

LASCAILLE'S SHROUD — Interval 01: Parallel Infinities - The Inner Universe album cover

Album · 2013 · Progressive Metal

4.5/5 · 2013-05-21
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Interval 01: Parallel Infinities - The Inner Universe is the debut full-length album by US progressive death metal project Lascaille's Shroud. It was released in 2013. Lascaille’s Shroud is pretty much the solo vehicle of musicians Brett Windnagle (Sedulity) although as of this album Patrick Hoyt Parris seems to also be considered a part of the line-up despite only providing clean vocals on an additional basis (two songs) as well as a bit of the spoken word. A guest keyboard solo is played by Tyler Sherrill (Steamforged) on the last track but everything else is handled by Brett Windnagle. Interval 01: Parallel Infinities - The Inner Universe (which from here in will be shorted to just The Inner Universe) has been released as a name your price download (including free) and it is one of a few albums to be released through the Masters of Metal Productions label to see a CD release.

The music on The Inner Universe is best described as progressive death metal but of the kind that puts emphasis on the progressive aspects of the sound over the death metal backbone. While there are some pretty intense death metal sections to be found here more often than not the music on the album focuses on its complexity and multiple influences, which includes but is not limited to electronic sounds, symphonic elements, clean vocal dominate songs and generally long tracks including the over fifteen minute piece Extinction: Swarming the Sun. There are also shades of black and doom metal to be found if you listen closely enough.

The lyrics are science fiction themed, presented as a concept album but heavily influenced by the work of British author Alastair Reynolds, from whose Revelation Space series the band name also comes from, but there are other sources drawn from in the album, such as the video game Mass Effect. Parallels can definitely be drawn to the latter within Extinction: Swarming the Sun. The music seems written to accommodate the sci-fi theme, making for quite the atmospheric listen that sets Lascaille's Shroud apart from technical based acts like Obscura or Augury but also from acts like Opeth or In Vain who utilise their melody in an entirely different way to Lascaille's Shroud.

The music is a demanding listen at 72:19 in length, but also a very rewarding one that didn’t need time to grow on me as most albums I’d describe as such tend to need. The Inner Universe is easily one for the prog fans first and foremost, but I’m sure death metal fans will find some enjoyment within the album all the same, although they’ll need the patience to get through the elongated sections of instrumental music, a fair bit of which isn’t even metal based, such as the track Shattered: Love Lost And Worlds Destroyed. Regardless of what twist or turn Brett Windnagle takes Lascaille's Shroud on though the music is always of an exceptionally high quality, with the very best of the seven tracks being Prologue: She Dreams of Earth, Resist: Fall Into the Arms of the Sun, and Extinction: Swarming the Sun. An exceptional grade rating is deserved.

94/100

(Originally written for Heavy Metal Haven: http://metaltube.freeforums.org/lascaille-s-shroud-parallel-infinities-the-inner-universe-t2969.html)