REVIEW: Lavisher - Aligned & Vital

Chicago-based velvet-grunge space rock collective LAVISHER are back with their second album Aligned & Vital, a record that showcases their unique ability to paint lush, distorted realms where beauty and decay dissolve into a swirling river of sound. From the first track, singer, songwriter, and guitarist GAVIN CUSHMAN III and drummer BENJAMIN STANDAGE provide a record which captures an expansive blend of vibrant tracks that fuse retro charm with forward thinking soundscapes.

No Sign Of Mine wastes no time setting the tone for the album; grungy, raw, and steeped in the DNA of bands like ALICE IN CHAINS and SILVERCHAIR. With Preemptive Waltz, the band plunges into a swirly landscape of gritty textures and complex grooves, fusing grace with grit. Accompanied by a visually arresting video, described by frontman GAVIN CUSHMAN III as a “personal torment fever dream,” Sultry stands out as a richly atmospheric track. We hear layered textures and with a brooding undercurrent, which evokes the haunting solitude of rain-slicked city nights driving through the city, offering a compelling glimpse into LAVISHER’s darker sonic terrain.

Ancients opens with a slower, more relaxed vibe than its counterparts, leaning more into the melody.  While its placement feels slightly out of sync with the surrounding tracks, it offers a moment of calm in an otherwise charged landscape. Way Too Much introduces a distinct shift in tone compared to its neighboring tracks, injecting a fresh energy into the album’s sonic palette through its intensified guitar presence and more simplistic lyrics, compared to the rest of the record. With its heavy riffs and reverb-soaked textures, it channels a rawness reminiscent of SICK JOY. This track is easily one of the album’s standout moments and our favourite track on Aligned & Vital.

Charmer sustains the intensity but dials back the tempo, embracing a 90s grunge aesthetic that feels right at home among the album’s gritty textures. It’s a slow burn, but one that smolders effectively. Ironically, the track Gritty is perhaps the least gritty of the bunch. While it doesn’t quite match the rawness implied by its name, its punchy chorus ensures it still leaves a mark.  Howl is another slower start track on Aligned & Vital; beginning in a subdued fashion, but gradually building with melodic guitar lines and clean, post-rock inflected vocals. It’s a slow bloom that adds depth to the album’s emotional range

Title track, Aligned & Vital continues the descent into slower tempos, but thrashing guitars eventually rise to the surface, lifting the track with a sense of urgency. Its lyrics may be simple, but they’re well written and effective. Detached is a punchy, riff driven track that fuses thunderous guitar work with melodic hooks, Lavisher’s trademark fusion of raw intensity and ambient depth further than other tracks on the record. It kicks off with a playful, offbeat riff and some glistening guitar flourishes, anchored by a toe-tapping groove. Driven by a standout chorus and rich harmony vocals, it’s one of the songs that stick with you. 

Redress emerges as the most impressive track on the record, an emotionally resonant closer that leaves a lasting impression, which is a shame as it is the final song. Its seamless blend of evocative lyrics and powerful guitar riffs strikes a chord that earlier tracks struggle to match. It’s a bittersweet triumph, making us wish more of the record maintained the same richness and precision in sound. 

The album explores emotional duality, weaving together threads of nostalgia and bold experimentation. LAVISHER’s sound pays homage to the likes of QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE and A PERFECT CIRCLE, while echoing the atmospheric depth of DEFTONES and the raw edge of FAILURE.

Score: 6/10

Aligned & Vital will be released on November 14th 2025 via Nefarious Industries. 

Words: Lou Viner-Flood

Photos: Lena Jackson