Masacre
Sacro
[Lorritto]
Masacre, as any underground maven worth his nuts knows, is the Colombian death metal band whom Profanatica shared vinyl space with on the most blasphemous split release of all time, and the main priority of Bullmetal, supposedly Colombia’s most reputed ripoff (can anyone confirm this? I’d actually like to purchase some items from him).
Undoubtedly the forefathers of a Colombian scene that features such incredible acts like Inquistion (absolute deities) and Manitu, Masacre have always peddled a form of primitive, regressive death/thrash metal that seldom ventures beyond the ordinary. A friend of mine once described Masacre’s musical onslaught as “a bunch of sixth grade kids covering earlier Sepultura”, and after brief consideration, I am inclined to agree, well, at least to a certain extent.
The album opens with a rather disorienting and subdued piano intro, a starkly ironic initiation into the meat-and-potatoes, high-octane rudimentary death/thrash that Masacre are famed for. Chunky, catchy old Sepultura/Dark Angel/Possessed riffage is the primary focal point here, complemented by haphazard skin bashing, David Vincent-esque vocals that bark out incomprehensible Colombian lyrics with considerable vitriol and a genuinely ancient feel that pervades it all.
There is one quirky element that serves to distract and detract from the recordings merit though. The music’s crude and rudimentary sloppiness is well-documented, but the lead guitar tends to distract from the ensuing chaos with its flashy, masturbatory and often pseudo-technical wankery. When the guitar squeals in dissonant defiance, I can appreciate its usage. When it serves to distract with its pointless guitar-hero theatrics, I cannot. Also, reprieves are also found throughout the album, which also irritate one with their pointless inclusion. You know the deal, self-indulgent acoustic guitar noodlings and terrible synth pieces, they’re here on show along with the unbridled, no-frills death metal. Two rather major bitches, I guess.
Disregarding the two aforementioned complaints, this is a great slab of molten ancient death metal, irreverent in its extremity and obscurity. These blokes are so stuck in the death/thrash era, they’ve even got the Hadez-esque hair and jackets to prove it. A recommended record, despite its shortcomings.
[ 7 ]
© 2000 equimanthorn
Undoubtedly the forefathers of a Colombian scene that features such incredible acts like Inquistion (absolute deities) and Manitu, Masacre have always peddled a form of primitive, regressive death/thrash metal that seldom ventures beyond the ordinary. A friend of mine once described Masacre’s musical onslaught as “a bunch of sixth grade kids covering earlier Sepultura”, and after brief consideration, I am inclined to agree, well, at least to a certain extent.
The album opens with a rather disorienting and subdued piano intro, a starkly ironic initiation into the meat-and-potatoes, high-octane rudimentary death/thrash that Masacre are famed for. Chunky, catchy old Sepultura/Dark Angel/Possessed riffage is the primary focal point here, complemented by haphazard skin bashing, David Vincent-esque vocals that bark out incomprehensible Colombian lyrics with considerable vitriol and a genuinely ancient feel that pervades it all.
There is one quirky element that serves to distract and detract from the recordings merit though. The music’s crude and rudimentary sloppiness is well-documented, but the lead guitar tends to distract from the ensuing chaos with its flashy, masturbatory and often pseudo-technical wankery. When the guitar squeals in dissonant defiance, I can appreciate its usage. When it serves to distract with its pointless guitar-hero theatrics, I cannot. Also, reprieves are also found throughout the album, which also irritate one with their pointless inclusion. You know the deal, self-indulgent acoustic guitar noodlings and terrible synth pieces, they’re here on show along with the unbridled, no-frills death metal. Two rather major bitches, I guess.
Disregarding the two aforementioned complaints, this is a great slab of molten ancient death metal, irreverent in its extremity and obscurity. These blokes are so stuck in the death/thrash era, they’ve even got the Hadez-esque hair and jackets to prove it. A recommended record, despite its shortcomings.
[ 7 ]
© 2000 equimanthorn