Ascension
“The Laconic has released an album that you have to take the time to listen to, paradoxical in these new times; more concept than album, more epic, full of feeling than prog, this opus is to be classified apart...” - Alain Massard
“An almost pastoral and chamber climate: there are the twentieth-century classical influences of a Delius, the progressive folk of Amazing Blondel, the beloved Mike Oldfield... but also the pastel shades of David Bedford and Anthony Phillips' records. ”
“...The Laconic has grown into an intriguing, professionally operating project with the September 6th 'Ascension'.”
“..Lovers of beautiful harmonies and sweeping melodies will find a lot to like with Ascension.”
Amor Fati
“[Amor Fati] is a very eclectic product on a solid electronic base, but Pelath's guitar sound borders on the sixties soundtrack (Dust); sometimes the evolutionary strength of the melodic motif is capable of creating symphonic prog drapery close to the Genesis or the Footsteps (Fate) and the same goes for the second part of the closing Equinox which, thanks to the insertion of the transverse flute and some Hackettian guitar, leads the listener from the parts of Gabriel and companions. On other occasions we proceed instead starting from articulated rhythmic patterns to create a static and hypnotic atmosphere, a bit like in certain pieces by Pink Floyd in the 1980s or by Ultravox (Nona and Decima) or the Kraftwerk (Morta).” - Riccardo Storti
“If you like the solo works of ex-Dream Theater keyboardist Derek Sherinian and Fates-Warning guitarist Jim Matheos or the Gordian-Knot project from the wider Cynic orbit, you should love Amor Fati.” - Andreas Schiffmann
“The album 'Amor Fati' is not only a presentation of Pelath's skills and the musicians accompanying him, but also a testimony to crossing borders with something ingenious... you can hear that there is something constantly intense, unusual and original in this music.” - Artur Chachlowski
— MLWZ
“You won't hear much better music this year.... 'Refuge' is a highly intelligent monster for this new age, just like Tarkus from ELP or Larks' Tongues in Aspic from King Crimson that was before the last century.” - Christoph Lintermans
— daMusic
“Chicago-based touch guitarist Marc Pelath, by way of his band The Laconic, has created an album that is remarkably engaging from Note One... Pelath has created a sonic landscape that is as pleasant as it is ambitious....a work that will go down smoothly next to the likes of Trey Gunn, Tony Levin, and Markus Reuter.” - Cedric Hendrix
“Here is an artist who has expanded his palette to something he might not be able to identify at this point. All we know, is that it has elements that are constantly evolving and growing to make an epic story that is made of dreams.”
