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- Criminals never show their faces.
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- Downright dangerous, they are.
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- “¡Machetazos!”
“¡Machetazos!” is a highly precious 7-inch because it catches Brujeria at their brutal, bass-y, stepping-on-skulls-with-a-leather-workboot best. Far from the inferior power violence-influenced material that came later, “¡Machetazos!” flaunts a death-metal focus and production so deep and heavy you can feel your balls shrinking like ruby-red plums in the sun.
[Be sure to click the photo to the right to read some of the effed-up lyrics, in Spanish! - ed]
Read these lyrics at your own risk, Spaniards. Click on image for a closer look!
Truth be told — and it pains me to say this because many will try to prove me wrong — but Brujeria’s early material might be the heaviest fucking sludge-death I’ve ever heard. That means heavier than Cannibal Corpse, Necrophagist, Death, Deicide, Morbid Angel, Blues and the entire Corrosive/Give Praise/Metalblade/Relapse rosters.
The key to ‘heria’s unmitigated heaviness is their side-project status, which allows each member to totally let loose without having to worry their careers (or even their identities) will be compromised. But, just so you know, Brujeria contains members of Fear Factory, Napalm Death and even Faith No More.
No matter; you’ll forget about the principles involved as soon as the giant brick of guitar buzz hits you square in the grill. OUCH MOTHERFUCKER!
The riffs are simple but — like Korn‘s early head-bashers — insanely effective, produced for ultimate pounding power. The drums and bass are simple-but-effective as well, the percussion often diving into pools of blast-beatery and double-bass bashery. The vocals, however, are the main attraction, distorted, slightly off-rhythm — as all the best underground singers are — and, most importantly, it’s all in Spanish so I can learn while I listen!
Seriously though, if you feel there’s a gap in your collection where there should be some truly murderous death-metal, Brujeria can fill it like a shallow grave. If not, check them out anyway; your entry into the seedy underbelly of drug-runner hardcore will soon begin.
