Hidden Gems & Guilty Pleasures: laCasta (Italy)
Photos by Paolo Moretti
laCasta (Blackened Hardcore // Italy)
Italian blackened crust band laCasta return with their new full-length album »Olibanvm«, arriving May 8th, 2026 via Argonauta Records. Blending crust hardcore urgency with black metal austerity, the record presents a more focused and oppressive direction built on dense riffs and driving rhythms. A journey through smoke, spirit, and inner darkness.
The latest single, taken from the album »Olibanvm«, is a conceptual work rooted in the symbolism of frankincense and the spiritual dimension of smoke. The record moves between the sacred and the profane, between elevation and fall, building a dense and layered sonic landscape.
»Melma« stands as one of the most intense and visceral moments of the album: a track that delves deep into the human psyche, bringing to the surface raw imagery and distorted reflections of contemporary society. Through highly evocative lyrics, laCasta uses the metaphor of “mud” as a symbol of decay, moral stagnation, and the contradictions that inhabit human nature.
As throughout »Olibanvm«, the lyrical language unfolds through similes and visions, avoiding direct narration in favor of personal interpretation. The result is an immersive experience where sound becomes substance and smoke turns into a vehicle for introspection: a sonic ritual inviting listeners to confront the darkest corners of their consciousness.
With »Melma«, laCasta reaffirms its artistic identity, blending sonic exploration with thematic depth in a powerful and unsettling balance.»Olibanvm« is not just an album: it is a passage, a combustion, a transformation.
Formed in 2013 in Puglia, Italy, laCasta emerged from the shared vision of four friends determined to channel anger and dissent through violent, dissonant soundscapes drenched in blackened tones. Their name reflects a nihilistic and orthodox stance against hierarchical systems of power that dominate society, an ideology mirrored in their uncompromising sonic approach.
Their journey began with the self-released debut »Encyclia«, laying the foundations of a sound that merged dark hardcore influences with the ferocity of black metal. Saturated riffs and relentless rhythmic breaks quickly became their unmistakable trademark. The collaboration with Argonauta Records marked a decisive turning point with the release of their second full-length »In Æternvm«, solidifying their presence within the extreme underground scene.
Now, with »Olibanvm«, laCasta reaffirm their pact with the Ligurian label and push further into oppressive, visceral and hysterical territories. No compromise. No redemption.
Courtesy of Grand Sounds PR
Discography:
• »No Hope« Single (2015)
• »Encyclia« LP (2015)
• »Vultures« Single (Argonauta Records, 2020)
• »In Æternvm« LP (Argonauta Records, 2020)
• »Faith« Single (Argonauta Records, 2020)
• »Harrowing Silence« Single (Argonauta Records, 2026)
• »Melma« Single (Argonauta Records, 2026)
• »Olibanvm« LP (Argonauta Records, 2026)
laCasta is:
Alessandro Donnaloia – Vocals, Synthesizers
Mario Morgante – Guitars
Marino Martellotta – Bass
Sbrough – Drums
FFO: Hexis, Celeste, This Gift Is A Curse, Oathbreaker, The Secret, Dark Funeral, Marduk, Wiegedood, Mgła
Bojan Bidovc // music enthusiast, promoter, misanthrop and sometimes a journalist as well