Release Date May 30th, 2026
Format CD/Cassette/Digital
Genre Thrash Metal
Origin Switzerland
Formed in Lausanne in 2008, Algebra has spent nearly two decades building a catalogue rooted in thrash metal, with progressive turns, death metal accents and groove driven passages added to the framework. Guitarist and vocalist Ed Nicod remains from the original formation, joined on this release by guitarist Nick Abery, bassist Jon Emery Solorzano and drummer Soa G. Their discography began with the “Procreation” EP and continued through “Polymorph,” “Feed The Ego,” “Pulse?” and “Chiroptera,” alongside the earlier concert release “Live Morphin’.”
Lineup changes altered the personnel across the years, although the central musical approach remained based on compact riff construction, abrupt rhythmic shifts, clipped vocal phrasing and guitar work that regularly move beyond standard thrash patterns. Algebra’s songs often combine rapid picking with heavier groove sections, giving the catalogue more range than a straight retro thrash approach. “Live At RKC” is their second live album and closes the touring cycle behind “Chiroptera,” presenting the current formation at the final concert attached to that release period.
Recorded on January 20th, 2024 at The Rocking Chair in Vevey during the “Léman Apocalypse” festival, “Live At RKC” contains fifteen cuts and runs for just under an hour. Most of the set comes from “Chiroptera,” with older material folded into the running order. The performance has speed, riff detail and physical impact, with the guitars placed high in the mix and the drums striking through the faster sections. Jan Saunier handled front of house sound and recording, while Raphaël Bovey mixed and mastered the album at MyRoom Studio. The production retains crowd response, stage spill and small imperfections.
It presents an actual concert document, not a studio reconstruction wearing live album clothing. Songs such as “Resuscitation,” “Constricted,” “S.O.B.” and “Burn The Bridge” gain extra urgency onstage, especially when the riffs shift from rapid thrash runs into heavier rhythmic blocks. Ed Nicod’s vocals come across raw and strained in the right places, while the backing vocals add shape to the choruses without turning them into festival chants. The bass remains present beneath the guitars, and Soa G.’s drumming supplies the required speed without flattening every section into the same attack. A few passages blur when cymbals, guitars and crowd noise collide; the mix recovers quickly and the principal riffs remain easy to follow.
The set order is practical, the transitions are brief and the album maintains momentum across its approximate fifty five minute length. As a document of the final “Chiroptera” performance cycle, “Live At RKC” has substance beyond souvenir value. It captures Algebra in a compact venue, playing with precision, aggression and enough rough edges to preserve the night itself. The final result is a direct live release with effective song selection, capable production and minimal interference between the stage and the listener.
|8.0
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