LAVA ENGINE - In Limbo (MCD)

Lava Engine is yet another nice surprise from Sweden. Even though I live in the middle of things new great bands seem to pop up from nowhere. Lava Engine is a prime example. The band may be new but the members are no newcomers. Drummer Mick Nordström has previously beaten the skins with Modest Attraction, XT and Ronnie Jaldemark recorded an album with System Breakdown. So, what does Lava Engine sound like? One band that immediately springs to mind is Pain Of Salvation, especially in the dramatic title track, but I also hear some Opeth and a bit of Porcupine Tree in the mix. Common Ground shows a slightly softer side at times, giving it a touch of Enchant in the verses. The track Ctrl Z is another track that reminds me a bit of Pain Of Salvation during their One Hour By The Concrete Lake era, but I won’t say Lava Engine are any copy cats, far from it. They however touch on the same musical and emotional strings. The music is very epic, very dramatic and the track feels like an entire black and white movie going through so many different parts, phases and motions you can almost envision the dramaturgic screen play happening. I haven’t had this type of feeling listening to an album since I heard Opeth’s Watershed, and even though they are similar in style there are no disturbing similarities. See Lava Engine as a long lost musical cousin of the aforementioned. My only complaint would be that five tracks end way too soon. I really love it when progressive music does so much more than just show off skilful musicians and that the composer knows how to combine lots of different rhythms. Lava Engine makes it all fit together seamlessly. It’s a musical journey, short, but still. Can’t wait for the long trip!
Janne Stark

Year: 2011

Country: Sweden

Label: private (Distr: Liljegren Records)

Link: http://www.lavaengine.net/