The expectations you have after seeing the title of Liva’s debut album come through. ‘Requiem’ is an album where bombastic rhythms are combined with Latin Christian vocals, little grunts and some fragile violins. This works out fine with most of the songs, but somehow not all of the songs have the same power and / or impact.

Although most compositions are very decent, you occasionaly get the feeling that this Canadian band is too hasty. It’s almost like they are trying too hard to overwhelm the listener and thus forget about the balance on the album.

The production of ‘Requiem’ also has some shortcomings. The production seems to fit one track better than the next. Take a track like ‘Tuba Mirum’: there`s nothing wrong with the composition or performance, but the overall sound is simply nauseating. Don’t ask me why, but listening to that song makes me feel seasick.

The overall impression I got from Liva is that this band certainly has potential, but the debut album is somewhat of a missed opportunity, for it could have a lot better.