Liva – Ecce Mundus

Liva
Ecce Mundus
Label: Self-release / Stoke Records
Out: November 17^th, 2023 (CD) / January 12^th, 2024 (digital)
Playing time: 56:02

The Canadian Symphonic Metal band Liva can look back on a long history. Founded in 1997 in Sherbrooke (Quebec). The only remaining member from this time is namesake Pier Carlo Liva (vocals, guitars). Four years later (2001), the self-titled EP was released. The album ‘Requiem’ was released one year later. The two successors were released five to six years later. After the third album ‘Human Abstract’ (2013), things went quiet. According to Encyclopaedia Metallum, however, the band remained active. However, fans had to wait ten years until ‘Ecce Mundus’ was released in 2023. First as a CD and a few weeks later also digitally. The press release describes Liva as ‘one of Canada’s pioneers in the fusion of classical music and Metal music’. That’s a lot of advance praise. Let’s find out whether the comeback was a success.

‘De avaritia et luxuria mundi’ begins with a calm introduction in the style of an intro. But this nine-minute epic has more to offer than strings and wind instruments. Deep, hard but calm riffs replace the orchestral part before strings, drums and guitars intensify the tempo. Pier Carlo Liva contributes evil growls. Nadine Guertin underpins this with high colouratura. And then soprano and tenor vocals alternate. Pier Carlo Liva is also responsible for the tenor. The orchestral bombast is paired with metallic heaviness. A typical Symphonic Metal song. The Canadians then get serious with ‘Materiae summa’. Much heavier than the opening song, the guitars and drums gallop here. Tapestries of strings serve as an epic backdrop. Nadine beguiles here with her high, operatic but clear-as-a-bell soprano. In contrast, ‘Ecce mundus demundatur’ is a grandiose ballad. Subtle instrumentation accompanies the calm vocals of both singers. Close your eyes and dream. Only towards the end does the song turn into a power ballad. Subtle growls can also be heard again. ‘Sunt’ is much faster again. Claude Lacroix’s drumming in particular drives the musicians on. And mastermind Pier Carlo Liva delivers equally fast guitar solos. This is followed by the epic two-movement ‘Samson & Dalila’. Great hymns of Symphonic Metal. ‘Obscura’ starts off quietly with a powerful bass line (Martin Tremblay). Later, there is again a lot of epicness through Tapestries of strings. Plus another great guitar solo. ‘O Roma nobilis’ is another power ballad, but with dark-sounding low guitar riffs. The album ends with the Metal anthem ‘Silence’. Orchestral epics, powerful drums and heavy guitar riffs characterise this song. But Pier and Nadine’s vocals stand above everything else.

Chapeau. What Liva deliver here is simply insane. A wide stylistic range is paired with outstanding musical performance. But the vocal duo Nadine Guertin / Pier Carlo Liva is enthroned above all. The band celebrates Symphonic Metal perfectly.

Liva – Samson & Dalila I: https://youtu.be/jzZpTdceBqE?si=OHPeC5TryVbkT4gU

Lineup:

Pier Carlo Liva – Tenor Vocals, Death Vocals, Guitars, Electronics
Nadine Guertin – Soprano Vocals
Martin Tremblay – Bass
Claude Lacroix – Drums

Track list:

• De avaritia et luxuria mundi
• Materiae summa
• Ecce mundus demundatur
• Sunt
• Samson & Dalila I
• Samson & Dalila II
• Obscura
• O Roma nobilis
• Silence