Review by Tammy Lomax for MPM
Surfacing onto the scene in 2014, LANDMVRKS originate from Marseille in France and consist of Florent Salfati on vocals, Rudy Purkart on bass guitar, Nicolas Exposito and Paul C. Wilson on guitars and Kévin D’Agostino on drums.
First music video released in August 2014 was ‘Meaningless’ and shortly after, the band released more music videos such as ‘Empty Place’ ‘Outside and In’ and ‘Winter’ featuring Mattéo from the band Novelists.
In May 2016, LANDMVRKS self-released their debut album Hollow, which was completely produced by band members Salfati and Exposito.
Following the release of ‘Hollow’ the band ventured onto tours throughout Europe and in 2018 they secured their signed record deal with Arising Empire for the release of their second studio album ‘Fantasy’.
By continuing to build their name and reputation with their own fresh take on metalcore, LANDMVRKS went on to travel the world, playing in Japan and embarking on several headline tours.
They have spent two years writing and recording new material and now they are geared and ready, returning with their third album ‘Lost In The Waves’.
Throughout the 10 track L.P there is much diversity and a fair amount of ideas mixed into every track, thus it being really difficult to pinpoint an actual genre.
Got a lighter to hand? You’ll need it for tracks ‘Shoreline’ and ‘Paralyzed’, a sentimental offering from the band and they are heart chuggers, mighty heart chuggers. Certainly by this point into the album the resemblance between vocalist Florent Salfati and Chester Bennington becomes uncanny.
Although on occasion he pulls some deathly ones out the bag and some quick fly kicking vocals, that are to be admired, showing some real talent and slightly separating them from sounding exactly the same as each other.
‘Tired Of It All’, I find the track well balanced overall, commercially modern especially as the melodic choruses leak through. They released a video for this track and I have to say, although simple the message is bold. There’s some chaos half way through and I like it, a bit messy and full of variety.
‘Say No More Words’ rolls in after ‘Tired Of It All’ and let me just say one thing: The vocals give DnB MC Harry Shotta a run for his money!
Can we please just talk about the real heaviness though? In comparison to album ‘Hollow’, this is a step heavier, and every time those meaty slamming section’s come in, well, I salivate! I think they have totally pulled that heaviness off, I always need MORE heavy! A clear example would be the track ‘Overrated’, it’s obviously my favourite, a full throttle pace with rap stretched vocals and a lovely nicely toned bass that leads, it makes me all squeaky and pumped up for live gigs!
Lost In The Waves’ has a metalcore style with hints of hardcore and sections of death metal, it has left a distinctive positive impression and has taken the French band to a more mature direction.
Tickets are on sale here: www.landmvrks.com
LANDMVRKS have also released their first live album, Live At Espace Julien, Marseille, available to stream or purchase here: https://landmvrks.lnk.to/Live
Stream/purchase the band’s previous album Fantasy here: https://landmvrks.lnk.to/FantasyAlbum
LANDMVRKS are:
Florent Salfati | Vocals
Nicolas Exposito | Guitar
Paul C. Wilson | Guitar
Rudy Purkart | Bass
Kevin D’Agostino | Drums
For more information:
www.landmvrks.com
www.facebook.com/landmvrks
www.instagram.com/landmvrks
