Had death metal not evolved over the years, it’s hard to imagine where the form might be right now. Granted, bands were contorting the form pretty much from the start, so it’s nice to see the evolution has continued to cross the earth and universe. One of the bands that helped move the horror are Lago, who return after eight years.

“Vigil” is the band’s third record and first since 2018’s “Sea of Duress,” and it continues to push them into the more progressive waters they’ve always embraced. The band—guitarist/vocalist Cole Jacobsen, bassist/vocalist Garrett Thomas, guitarist Gus Barr, drummer Brian Miller—decimates with technical prowess and stretchy connective tissue, punishing over seven tracks and 42 minutes. The band challenges on this record, slamming their hammers into the ground but also waylaying your psyche.

“Behold, Ruin” opens with guitars coiling and striking, the playing spreading psychological gore, and fluid leads flooding your senses. Growls batter heavily, guitars swelling and drubbing, the punishment twisting muscle. “Fodder” drills into your skull, vocals lurching, the vibrant pace making blood shoot through your veins, a growl/scream amalgamation loosening teeth. Leads squeeze before the soloing takes off, the pace shift smothers, and a beastly force takes you under. “Procession Into Slaughter” mauls, the growls welling, the guitars scorching flesh. The pace decimates, vicious power rushing to the surface like lava, the intensity tearing into bendy, dusty intensity.

“Initiation Rite” chugs, the growls gurgling, the leads heating up and melting rock. Snarling howls pull you into the darkness, the solo gusts with tornadic force, and a progressive feel takes over, sinking into a syrupy fury. “In a House of Ill Repute” lands with heavy humidity, tingling leads glistening, spilling over into spacious, flexible vibrations. Slick guitars turn into spiraling soloing, cascading with blood as wild howls strike. The pace storms again, a savage outburst destroying, leaving deep, thick scars. “Kingdom Without Pulse” trudges and crunches, the growls sneering, brawling into dust clouds. Dizzying madness makes the room spin, atmospheric surges turn darkly smothering, disappearing into ash. Closer “The Land Was a Desert” seers, tearing through flesh and bone, deep growls rumbling beneath the surface. Guitars race as clubbing force batters, the wails engorge and devour sanity, and the final moments spit shards of glass.

Lago’s brutality is as devastating and blinding as ever on “Vigil,” a dense and mesmerizing record that obliterates you from the beginning to the end. Their tools remain sharp, creating violent tension and death metal that strangles nerves. This is beefy but also brainy, an album that can be overwhelming but also crushing in all the right ways, leaving you exhausted mentally and physically.

For more on the band, go here: https://lagometal.bandcamp.com/

To buy the album, go here: https://everlastingspew.com/search?controller=search&orderby=position&orderway=desc&search_query=LAGOVIGIL&submit_search=

For more on the label, go here: https://everlastingspew.com/