LIV SIN: Kaliyuga (HEAVY METAL): review / opinion to read on Music Waves

Although resurrected in 2019 after a short hiatus of four years, Sister Sin has still not given any new sign of discographic life. While waiting for the band to get down to work, its emblematic singer continues her solo career, itself at a standstill after a "Burning Sermons" of rather good memory. The health crisis passed and with a renewed line-up, she can finally give it a successor.

"KaliYuga" sees the beautiful one coming back in shape. On the program, always this heavy metal rich in testosterone, classic in its writing but modern in its heavy features. This third effort even sounds much more martial than its elders and some of its protrusions would not deny a filiation with Rammstein ('Forget My Name') when others have thick seams frankly thrash ('The Swarm' close to Megadeth). The Swedes strike hard, helped by the powerful sound engineered by the triplet Simon Johansson, Mike Wead and Tue Madsen (for the mixing and the mastering).

As on the previous record, some guests (Zak Tell from Clawfinger or the singer Eleine) interfere in this menu of a concrete efficiency, gathered for the time of the same song ('D.E.R.') for a seductive result with four voices. This set of ten tracks which is cut out for the big European festivals invites to break the neck to the sounds of 'King Of Fools', 'The Process' and other 'Virus' whose (too) furtive sweetness tempers fortunately somewhat the frontal aggressiveness.

Liv Jagrell, a fierce frontwoman, finally wins over the audience when she pulls in her claws, and the same goes for her band when they soften their words, even if the riffs in steamroller mode never get very far ('I Am The Storm'). Solidly built but lacking originality, "Kali Yuga" doesn't suffer from any weakness in the form and the lovers of the singer and other amateurs of this heavy, bellicose but melodic female vocals will undoubtedly find something to satiate, which doesn't exempt it from a lack of madness if not of charm.

What will remain of it in a few years? Probably not much, except for the immediate pleasure given by a pleasant record, but not much more than that despite a Liv always as formidable and snarling that the years do not seem to really calm down. We are now waiting to see what will be the outcome of Sister Sin's return, whose silence does not augur well for the future... - Official website

LIV SIN

KALIYUGA

MIGHTY MUSIC

HEAVY METAL