Album Review Brujeria Pocho Aztlan

Brujeria

Pocho Aztlan

**** out of *****

The Mexican-American death metal monsters Brujeria have finally come back after a sixteen year layoff between albums with the pulverizing power of Pocho Aztlan. The title translate loosely to "wasted promise land" and while the band has had a rotating cast of members it still resembles an all-star lineup for fans of heavy music with members of Napalm Death, Carcass and Cradle of Filth. Longtime listeners will be happy to know they have not dulled one bit since their 2000 release
Brujerizmo keeping their machete metal music razor sharp; new fans will also find this a great place to get a taste of the Mexican influenced madness.

Starting off with the thundering title track sets the stage for the full length with a tribal intro/chant, and folk whistles, before devolving into police choppers and only then the metal barrage. The group takes on tons of topics they know well, drugs, disillusioned culture, murder, immigration, satanism and cartels but what reads like complete devastation actually contains lighthearted moments as the band can deftly add humor into their crushing power (see the recently released Vive Presidente Trump!).   

The blast beats of "No Aceptan Imitaciones" signals a speed metal shift that is brutal while "Profecia del Anticristo" amps up the groove, still keeping the speed in overdrive.  Those never ending drums keep slamming for the pit inducing "Angel de la Frontera" before the bands tribute to Pablo Escobar "Plata O Plomo" that grinds metal gears in its own slamming way. Metal fans can now debate who did it better, Brujeria or Soulfly? RtBE votes for the  like the variety of Soulfly's version, but both are slamming with aggression and deliver the goods.   

"Satongo" brings the hardcore elements of the band to the forefront while "Bruja" experiments with distortion, major breakdowns and groove laden riffs enter. Those machine gun level drums take over and decimate "Culpan La Mujer" as a second vocalist screeches along with vocal distortion and Spanish lyrics, screaming out to the masses. "Debilador" is a throw back to old school punk/hardcore/metal with its count off and pile on conducive singing, as well as tempo changes, breakdowns and a flair for the dramatic.  

The album is long, average music listeners probably won't make it through the whole release but for death/grind/metal fans who have been waiting over a decade and a half their can't be enough, especially because the end product is this good. Closing with their take on the Dead Kennedy's adds to this bands scope and really cements Pocho Aztlan as one of the best metal releases in any of that record labels many sub-genres.  

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These guys are fantastic and a big influence on our friends Billyclub Sandwich, so we were looking forward to this and were not disappointed. Support the band, buy the album peep some video below: