It’s fair to say when you think about anything thrash/death metal/hardcore/grindcore related, Spain probably isn’t the first country you’d ascribe it to. It seems just too improbable that the country you associate with much more sedate pastimes and pleasures could create the kind of blood curdlingly beautiful noise that anyone reading this blog loves. However, just look a little further into the country and you realise that perception is wrong and indeed Spain is actually a great place to discover new up and coming metal bands that really offer a different take on the genre.
Three of the best to watch out for
There are always a few really decent bands that you come to in your life that leave you wondering “why the hell did I not know about them before?” and this next bunch are no exception. They’ve been put together as a sample of some of the great acts that are coming out of Spain. They’re not all new, but all of them either have new releases to promote or are preparing to get stuff out into the ether later this year.
Wis(h)key
Hailing from Barcelona and relative newcomers to the scene, Wis(h)key were formed in 2011 and their bandcamp site offers a full preview of their next single ‘Voodoo River’ which is to be released on 1st June 2013. They’re a more typical kind of crossover band, that don’t sit easily in just one style of music. They’ve been in and around and gigging in one form or another for around a decade and the band members Ori Novella, Ruben Chacon, Isma Garcia, JA Roman and Marcos Lopez started the project as a bit of fun, but realised after a short while that they’d built up a pretty solid base of songs that would create a damned fine debut album.
They recorded it at Artegrama Studio in Barcelona and the reaction on it’s release, astounded them. Thus, they’ve gone back into the studio and are hoping to record more this year, with ‘Voodoo River’ being pre-released as a taster for something much bigger to come. They also have a pretty awesome YouTube channel too; their music videos are good to watch, classy and very well filmed and edited and seem to capture the heart and soul of metal music, but there’s an innate class and quality to the shooting of them that still wouldn’t look out of place on a mainstream music video channel either. This might end up setting them apart from some of the other bands in their genre if they ever make it really big. They seem to have a feel for how to craft something lovingly and with care. The same goes for their music too. Definitely a band to give a little bit of your time over to get to know and love.
A.D.
Whilst Wis(h)key are more of a crossover band that might perhaps have a potentially wider appeal to a newer audience who want to perhaps have more of a gentler introduction to the genre, A.D. are the complete opposite. Their latest album ‘Marcha Al Abismo’ was released last month to critical acclaim, and it is utterly unrelenting in both it’s ferocity of volume and crunching power. The band has been inexistence for around thirteen years now and this is their second release. It's an uncompromising listen that will leave you wanting to hear more.
Falsos Positivos
Released last month ‘Nuestra Hora’ is the third release from Falsos Positivos, a Valencian punk hardcore act who are making quietly noisy waves in their home country. The band consists of Serrano on vocals, xTonix on guitar and vocals, xMarix on bass and Edu on drums. Their music belies the message they are trying to get across. Their lyrics are probably what you would call provocative, they’re not political in the truest sense but they lean towards trying to paint hardcore and metal fans in a more positive light, rather than the somewhat negative traditional viewpoint that most people have of the genre. They’re definitely another one to watch out for this year and in the future.
If you’d like to find out more about the bands mentioned here, are interested in finding out more about the Spanish Metal scene at the current moment and getting hold of some of the best value music deals around, then check out all of the various group’s Bandcamp pages. The best thing about listening and buying from Bandcamp is that you’re directly supporting the artists themselves and not only that you can find out about all the other great acts from the area into the bargain. Many of the bands on there link directly to other groups that they think their fan base might like, so it's always worth your time clicking through and seeing what else is on offer. There you have it; the Spanish metal scene is definitely one of the ones to watch during 2013 and beyond. You all definitely need to watch this space for more to come.
Text by special robust reporter EVE
No comments:
Post a Comment