Lizard Records and the Chilean Experimental scene have forged a bond that has deepened over time. After collaborating with landmark names such as Akinetón Retard and Yonhosago, Lizard doubles down on Chile in 2026 with the third studio album from Asceta: “The Fool Leading the Blind,” released on June 16, 2026. The group presents itself as a large and multifaceted instrumental ensemble, deploying classical instruments — clarinet, cello, viola, bassoon, English horn — alongside an electric section comprising guitar, bass, drums, and electric piano. The album’s concept is a direct critique of “false leadership.” The title itself evokes the image of a mass blindly following deceptive guides into a world of illusion. Artistically, the band rejects “instant gratification” and easy listening, favouring meticulous sonic exploration and deep emotional expression, placing artistic integrity above commercial ends. The album opens with the monumental suite “The Fool Leading the Blind,” which at over 21 minutes occupies nearly half of the entire work on its own. As the album’s theme demands and the title expands upon, the band wastes no time diving in — musically and conceptually alike. The piece opens with eclectic and highly refined textures that weave together orchestral Avant-Prog traits with accelerations that push towards more exploratory territories enriched by R.I.O. sophistication. The band’s background shines across the piece’s intricate textures and phrasings, maintaining intensity and tension at a consistently elevated level throughout. The interplay between chamber instruments and the more electric elements allows the band to evolve the theme by exploring musical territories that always find the perfect meeting point between different genres and styles. A track that single-handedly carries the full weight of the release — not diminishing the other tracks, but on the contrary elevating the entire work and leaving an indelible mark on the genre’s history. The rhythm section is groove-laden and rich in odd time signatures and technical passages, while the complex melodies unite and exalt Jazz, Avant-Prog and R.I.O., all filtered through the band’s personal style. “Temple Of Mirrors,” also selected as the lead single with a visualizer, proves an excellent choice for introducing the release, striking the right balance between orchestral and electric sections. The introductory passage is more electronic and effect-laden, before giving way to complex textures that unite Avant-Prog with orchestral arrangements — with a more Rock-driven edge in certain passages and the technical, electric lines serving as a counterpoint to the orchestrations. The Jazzy and Avant-Garde textures blend well with the piece’s more Experimental structure, in a continuous evolution of the theme that keeps the listener riveted, eager to catch every single passage. A violin held in tension and keyboards open “When They Arrive,” establishing an atmosphere of unease from the very first notes, before developing textures closer to chamber orchestration. A more Experimental first section, enriched by interwoven keyboards and winds that lend a dramatic tension to the piece, builds into a continuous crescendo that evolves through the rhythm section, culminating in a hypnotic Avant-Prog passage dense with time changes. “Everything Stopped” expands on the musical discourse of its predecessor, shifting the album’s sonic palette into a more technical and experimental R.I.O. and Avant-Prog context — wind interventions, keyboard lines, and rhythmic phrasings punctuated by orchestral backgrounds. A track that, from a compositional and executive standpoint, represents a challenge the band wins outright, also revealing a delicacy and expressive refinement of absolute value. The album closes with “Memento Mori,” an epic conclusion. The Latin title evokes a final existential reflection that closes the circle of the album’s social critique. The sonorities are sophisticated and musically seal the arc as well — a distinguished and refined interweaving of Avant-Prog, with continuous time changes and phrasings among all instruments that build complex textures, accompanying the listener for the track’s entire duration as the central theme evolves. The album ends, and so does its central theme, leaving us with the desire to return to it again and again to catch further passages and nuances, given the sheer richness of the band’s musical vocabulary. “The Fool Leading the Blind” is a work destined for those who love the most challenging and complex currents of Progressive Rock and Avant-Garde. An album that demands attention but rewards the listener with a level of sonic craftsmanship of the highest order, carrying forward the historic Chilean tradition of Avant-Prog and exploratory Progressive sonorities — an album truly to be discovered note by note.
Purchase “The Fool Leading the Blind” here:
The CD was be released on June 16, and will be available for purchase from Lizard Records HERE
Tracklist
01. The Fool Leading The Blind (21:35)
02. When They Arrive (5:44)
03. Temple Of Mirrors (7:26)
04. Everything Stopped (7:54)
05. Memento Mori (Remember That You Will Die) (10:19)
Lineup
Alfonso Vergara / Clarinets
Cristián Peralta / Cello
Arianne Guerra / Viola
Eduardo Rubio / Bass Guitar
Leonardo Saavedra / Drums and Percussion
Jorge Bugueño / Electric Piano
Alejandro Vera / Bassoon
Pascal Montenegro / English Horn
Rodrigo Maccioni / Electric Guitar, Keyboard and Flute