This disc, recorded on
Neuraxis' home turf of Quebec in early 2007, is a terrific document of live death metal, something that isn't as common as it should be. Most death metal bands don't record live albums, because for all its heaviness and sonic aggression, their music relies on the antiseptic precision of the studio to a degree they'd probably rather deny. Drum triggers, guitar pedals, minuscule edits in Pro Tools -- these are all tools that modern death metal bands use to give their music the inhuman blasting energy fans demand. But
Neuraxis can really bring it live, as this album more than ably demonstrates. Running through a set that spans what was at that point their entire catalog, from 1997's
Imagery to 2005's
Trilateral Progression, the band absolutely crushes a worshipful hometown crowd, new vocalist Alex Leblanc making between-song announcements in guttural Quebecois before launching the next savage assault. The sound is ultra-clear, with guitars separated in the mix, the bass rumbling away in its own spot, and the drums clearly played by a human being -- an incredibly skilled human being, to be sure, but a human being nonetheless. Old songs and new blend together extremely well, as the studio versions have been subtly altered by years on the road so the once-seemingly pasted-in melodic bits now seem much more comfortably incorporated into the overall brutality. This is that rare live album that's essential to understanding the band that made it. ~ Phil Freeman