PlanetMosh Keeping it Metal
When it comes to French metal bands, the older generation would probably recall Trust and the newer generation, Gojira. But a new and worthy name can be added to the list, the crushing Livarkahil. I reviewed their last full length studio album Signs Of Decay for Planetmosh last September and my opening comment was ” If you need to release some tension by throwing back your head and screaming woooarghh, then this forthcoming album by Livarkahil will help you to do that “. So 2012 sees Livarkihil following in the same vein with their new 5 track ep Wrath Of God. It was released via Rock And Growl on June 12th as a USB drive which also includes Signs Of Decay guitar tabs and video tutorials for drums, guitar, bass and vocal techniques. Also included is a video explaining how to record, mix and master from home and pictures/videos of Livarkahil. Even though Wrath Of God is an ep, it clocks in at just under 30 minutes, so is still great value!
The opening layered guitars on opener The Eternal Sun are the calm before the storm as HK’s opening scream precedes the blastbeats and juddering rhythms of the bass and guitars for almost 7 minutes of mayhem! In fact the adrenaline rush of the Wrath Of God ep could easily result in a name change to the Wrath Of Livarkahil. Through Hatred And Devotion’s sledgehammer riffs over yet more colossal drums, raise the intensity even more and the nearest Livarkahil will get to melody comes in at about the 3 minute mark but it could still level anything in it’s path. Deny Your God surges in sounding like Left Hand Path era Entombed before heading off into a raging firestorm of metal. Another lengthy track, the 6 minute Devotion heads straight out of the traps with visceral intent, bolstered by avalanches of kick drumming! The best is saved till last with the ep’s title track. Again over 6 minutes long, it opens with an almost grandiose spoken word chant over a heavy gothic soundscape before the drums kick everything into shape as the guitars grind and maul their way around HK’s most pissed off vocal so far. A fitting end to what has gone before. Credit must also be given to the stunning artwork on the ep’s front cover.
Wrath Of God ep track listing :-
The Eternal Sun.
Through Hatred And Devotion.
Deny Your God.
Devotion.
Wrath Of God.
Livarkahil band line up :-
HK- Vocals.
Skvm- Drums.
Simurgh- Bass.
Sonaer- Guitars.
Traume- Guitars.
I award the Wrath Of God ep a monstrous 10/10!
