HARDWARES

Free of Germany’s Limb (a.k.a. LMP), the Norwegians’ initial release under their own moniker is a double live DVD, single audio companion CD. Culled from the triumphant headlining gig (Nov. 1, ‘08) at Rockefeller (home of the annual Inferno festival), in Oslo, most of Nils K. Rue’s raps to the crowd are exclusively in his native tongue. The set leans heavily on the God’s Equation album (thus this disc’s title), although there are several sounds within the 11 cuts (including two instrumentals: a short opening ‘The Conception’ and in a similar mind-frame to classic ‘70s Rush-meets-Kansas, the voiceless ‘Coming Home Exploring Life’). Both ‘Eyes Of Osiris’ and ‘Atomic Firelight’ get Nils to scream in the highest register, particularly the latter, a multi-dimensional vocal workout, while ‘God’s Equation’ begins with modern staccato riffing. Then there’s a fun-loving cover of Bowie’s ‘Hallo Spaceboy’ and personal favourite, ‘The Prophecy of Pleiades’. The lone “drawback” is the similarity to the current touring show (makes a nice take-home remembrance though). Hopefully there will be less predictable choices in the future. That said, the DVD selection (augmented by material from their ProgPower USA appearance in ‘07) is a step in the right direction and a hint of what the future might hold. Now get a new studio disc out!