The multi-artist collective that is Levant are about to release their full-length album entitled Beneath Rubble, Run Rivers Red. Having explored their single Carry Me Home earlier this year, it was a pleasure to be able to delve into the longer collection prior to the release. You’ll be able to pre-order the album as of the 6th of August, but in the meantime – here’s a run through of what to look forward to.
Nowhere to Hide kicks off the project with an immediate sense of depth and political and social consideration. The music hits hard with the infectious rock energy of pop-punk alongside of an introductory spoken word segment – Charlie Chaplin’s speech from the movie The Great Dictator. The opening guitar riffs and drums are chaotic and energizing, making certain to capture your attention. Following this, a series of heavy metal vocals guide the way with equal parts grit and melody. Avoiding falling too far down the distorted rabbit hole, the song holds its strength by perfectly walking the line between intensity and accessibility. The recognizable, hard-rock hit that is Carry Me Home follows and reminds me of the first time I stumbled upon the Levant sound.
Silenced offers an incredibly fast-paced guitar-line and a contrastingly smooth, deep leading vocal that carries the melody brilliantly. Production-wise the scattered voices in the distance, the drums, the raw energy and emotion of it all – everything works in unison to create an intense and striking arena of audio. The switch from the verses to the hook works well, the verses are particularly interesting – uniquely structured with a complex and slowly evolving melody-line. There are a number of considerate composition points throughout this project that really impress.
Cruel Intentions offers an indie-rock angle and a dash of colourful weight that makes for a strong moment within the collection. Instrumentally this one is beautiful, hard-hitting escapism at its best. Hints of classic rock and roll appear intermittently with those undeniably connected to the heavy metal world. The lyrics are intriguing and work well in holding your attention.
The rhythmically joyful A Perfect Picture is a definite highlight, a memorable song with a pop-rock aura and a huge level of depth and emotion. It feels like an instant hit, a guitar-led, organic yet mildly electronic moment designed to keep you moving throughout the summer months. There’s an optimism to the song that contrasts with that initial idea of being unable to hide. It’s a positive song, and the two varying voices – the male and female parts – create a sense of togetherness and add an effective dynamic.
Say whatever you like presents something of an indie-pop aura with edge. It reminded me in a strange way of Audioslave – the consistency of the melody, the honest subject matter. Alongside of that is a touch of Owl City – the vocals are passionate yet subtle and carry the song well. As the track progresses, it envelops you more and more, becoming complex and entrancing as the energy rises higher.
Fall away follows and offers a blissful ambiance with a broken-hearted concept and vocal performance. Lyrically this is one of the most deeply connecting and provocative pieces.
We always break when we should bend.
You will never know showcases a cascading pair of guitar lines and another emotional, incredibly poetic piece of writing. The song quickly becomes another highlight for its raw vibrancy and openness.
Draw the line comes afterwards and sees the bass-line skyrocket. The song feels cool, motivational, and again contrast is utilised brilliantly as things progress. The spacious verses make certain that what follows hits with impact.
The darkness in me marks a distinctly unique moment as it brings together a strangely hopeful chorus of voices – the likes of which you might find in a pop or soft rock song – and something much more alternatively heavy.
Time to shine follows and brings the album to a memorable close. A gorgeously gentle piano part accompanies another spoken word segment that recaptures any wandering attention. To end with this song is to provoke a certain understanding and to make you want to revisit the whole collection to take it all in from a slightly new, more expectant angle. This song is beautiful, a stunning end to the album and a clever way to make sure you stay involved and return to the experience in the near future.
Nick Hutson managed this project & five percent of all the money made from it will go to War Child UK. The album will be available to pre-order from August 6th from the band’s website and will be officially released worldwide on all major streaming and download platforms on September 3rd. Find & follow the project on Facebook, Twitter & Instagram. Support them via Patreon to access sneaky peeks at new & unreleased material for just $1 per month.
