ALBUM REVIEW: En Vivo – Mestis

Whilst many music enthusiasts will know the instrumental prowess of Javier Reyes through his mind-boggling contributions to ANIMALS AS LEADERS, he is also building an impressive following through his also instrumental project MESTIS. Having released two albums and an EP to date which offer up a more accessible, melodic approach than the frantic intensity you may have come to know, Javier (with a little inspiration from his sound engineer) thought it would be a great idea to offer up recordings of their touring exploits and allow listeners to reminisce in the glory days of live shows (remember those?).

En Vivo which is available now via Sumerian Records contains a collection of tracks from both his Eikasia and Polysemy releases, all sounding crystal clear and providing that clinical live atmosphere which millions have sorely missed since the unfortunate arrival of the pandemic. A nice little sentimental bonus for any fans who were lucky enough to attend these shows is that all nine tracks were recorded on different stops of the tour dotted around the United States and Canada.

As well as being treated to a plethora of masterful guitar work the accompanying musicians also have their moments to shine, particularly Chris Allison‘s impressive drum work on Sedosa. Despite Javier still utilising his signature, downtuned eight string guitar tone (for the most part) which has brought many a baffled look to our faces during his performances with the aforementioned he has injected a variety of warm, inviting tones into his repertoire for this venture which sets the MESTIS tracks apart, giving them an identifiable individuality.

A lot of bands have been filling the performance shaped hole in our lives with live streams and online performances but there is still a significant feeling of emptiness with the silence between tracks. The short bursts of appreciation from the crowds throughout En Vivo is a nice touch, refreshing our memory of what we all miss dearly.

Whether you are already a fan of his work or are just looking for some guitar wizardry to sit back and relax to you will find a lot to appreciate within the chapters of En Vivo. MESTIS will most certainly appeal to those who may not be as enamoured with the more technical side of the musical spectrum and this release also reminds us that attending live shows is such a cherished piece of a music fans existence. The light shows, the kick drum pounding through your chest and the overall atmosphere of your favourite venues are all something which we can’t wait to return to.

Rating: 8/10

En Vivo is out now via Sumerian Records.

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